Cutting Edge Technology

iTero Digital Scanner

If you are thinking about getting Invisalign aligners or need another oral appliance, our team will use iTero digital scanning to provide you with the best possible results. But what is an iTero digital scanner and how does it work?

What Is iTero Digital Scanning?

The iTero is a digital scanner used to create a 3D image of your entire mouth. These real-time 3D images are what your orthodontist will send to the lab to craft your Invisalign aligners or another appliances. iTero scans are the key to an effective treatment.

Before iTero, things were different. Just ask your orthodontist. Previously, the orthodontist had to make sticky mold impressions of your mouth. These weren’t always accurate. But thanks to the iTero, that’s no longer the case.

The History of iTero Digital Scanners

Intraoral scanners date back to the late 1980s. These models were a far cry from the modernized versions we have today. As advances were made, a new player arrived on the scene — the iTero digital scanner. The iTero entered the market in 2007. Even back then, iTero was known for its accuracy.

The iTero is most well-known for how seamlessly it integrates with the Invisalign system. This is due to its highly digitized capabilities. Using the iTero significantly speeds up the production time for clear aligners. In fact, with iTero, the scans can be digitally transmitted to the Invisalign Doctor Site (IDS) three times faster than sending them Polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impressions.

What Does the iTero Intraoral Scanner Do?

The iTero uses a special wand. The orthodontist will move that wand around your mouth. The iTero is quick. It’s reliable. It’s portable. It also provides your orthodontist with exceptional visualization capabilities. An iTero full arch scan can be done in as little as 60 seconds. This saves the orthodontist loads of time. And it improves the patient experience.

In addition to helping your orthodontist see your mouth more clearly, it’s also a visual aid to help explain and show you your treatment needs on a digital screen.

How Does the iTero Digital Scanner Work?

The iTero digital scanner uses a radiation-free laser wand. This wand is moved around your mouth to capture thousands of digital frames per second. These images are then pieced together to create a 3D image of your mouth.

The images are perfectly accurate 3D impressions of your mouth. The impressions are available on a digital screen next to you so you can see them immediately. There’s no waiting weeks for them to come back from a lab.

Why Is an ITero Digital Scanner Better Than Traditional Methods?

With traditional impression methods, your orthodontist uses sticky molds to take impressions of your mouth. This method is more difficult for the orthodontist and uncomfortable for the patient. iTero doesn’t use molds, so you no longer have to endure bulky clay trays being inserted into your mouth to get an impression.

The iTero digital scanner uses a small laser wand to take scans of your mouth. There is no need for bulky, sticky molds anymore. That means your Invisalign retainers and other oral appliances can be made much more quickly. So you will get them faster.

Can Anyone Be a Candidate for iTero Scanning?

Yes. iTero is an effective scanning method that can benefit anyone. iTero is safe, uses radiation-free lasers, and is extremely accurate.

The Benefits of Using an iTero Scanner

The old scanners weren’t as accurate as the newer ones. This is because the old 3D scanner wands were larger, so they couldn’t easily fit into your mouth. Therefore, your orthodontist couldn’t take complete, accurate scans of all your teeth. Especially those at the back of your mouth.

The new intraoral scanners are much smaller than the older digital scanner models. Therefore, the newer scanners are much easier to use. This is because they don’t depend on how wide you can open your mouth. They are small enough to easily take 3D scans of the back of your mouth without causing a gag reflex.

In addition, the iTero digital scanner provides more accurate impressions of your mouth. When using molds, the clay can sometimes miss spots. The iTero digital scanner won’t.

Other benefits of using an iTero scanner include the following:

• The iTero provides a chairside visual aid for your Orthodontist to show you the issues and provide you with a real-time treatment snapshot of your plan.
• The iTero can show you what your teeth will look like once your treatment has been completed.
• The iTero is non-invasive.
• The iTero can capture images of your teeth and soft tissue.
• The iTero doesn’t require the orthodontist to cover your teeth with titanium dioxide powder.
• The iTero doesn’t require the use of radiation to take a scan of your mouth.
• The iTero eliminates the need to use and store traditional impressions and stone models.
• The iTero results can easily be stored and shared with third-party providers (Invisalign) and other professionals. This means better results and improved outcomes.
• The small iTero wand means there is less chance of you experiencing a gag reflex.

The iTero Smile Simulator Option

The iTero is amazing! It can not only take 3D images of your mouth, but it can also show you those scans on a digital screen next to your chair. The iTero can then create an Invisalign simulation. That simulation will show you exactly what your teeth will look like after your treatment has been completed.