Using Technology to Enhance Your
Dentistry and Revenue
Optical scanning systems are becoming essential to dental
offices for increasing impression accuracy and saving time.
Doctors are adopting the technology at an increasing rate.
According to projections by the Millennium Research Group,
the global market for intra-oral scanners will reach $61 million
by 2014. Not all scanners are created equal however.
The Underlying Technology
Understanding the technology behind
available choices can make the decision
easier. Some optical scanners use blue light
emitting diode (LED) technology, which
requires a powder or other contrasting
medium to create a reflective surface for
capturing the image. Other scanners use
advanced laser technology, which measures
the actual distance from tooth surfaces
and does not require powder. The
iTero digital impression system represents
the latest advance in parallel confocal
laser-based optical scanning.
The iTero system produces imagery
in real time, enabling the doctor to see
the model being built as scanning
proceeds. Models can be sent electronically
to the lab to produce restorations
and orthodontic appliances. Electronic
“impressions” make it easy for labs to
download data directly to CAD/CAM
production equipment, for restorations
that do not require models.
Dramatically Improved Ease of Use
For doctors, the iTero system improves accuracy by eliminating
the problems associated with PVS expansion and contraction
or poured models, such as bubbles, pulls, tears and
distortion. Cleaner preparations and improved accuracy greatly
reduce, or eliminate, having to reschedule patients for retakes.
Aligners and restorations fit with minimal occlusal adjustment,
no contamination from the patient and no die spacing.
The exclusive integration between iTero scanning and
Invisalign technology greatly simplifies aligner treatment. The
iTero system also supports integration with cone beam CT
data for enhanced implant and orthodontic treatment planning.
This enables development of surgical guides and sameday
temporization with predictable results.
When Time is Money
Time savings are significant. Doctors have repeatedly
reported that conventional impressions
take 35 to 50 minutes from prep to packing
the case for the lab. Digital impressions,
with prep time and four minutes to
scan both arches based on a quadrant
impression, require 12 to 14 minutes – a
savings of 23 to 33 minutes.
Doctors also report significant reductions
in seating appointment chairtime
with iTero. Highly accurate restorations
from the laboratory can reduce the time
spent in chairside adjustment during
seating by up to 20 minutes per patient.
Other time savings include tray selection,
material dispensing, disinfection and
impression gun cleanup. There is no model
pouring of the opposing models or model
trimming and no distortion from a triple
tray. Packaging, writing lab scripts and
shipping are also eliminated because prescriptions
are sent electronically with the
digital impression.
Translated into clinical costs, the
savings add up quickly. Based on
reports from doctors who perform
restoration work with a revenue goal of $500 per hour and
an average of 500 such cases annually, a time savings of 28
to 38 minutes per case increases production from $116,000
to $158,000 per year. Not only do iTero digital impressions
reduce per-case costs, the time savings enable doctors to
accept more cases.
It’s no wonder that doctors are quickly embracing the
benefits of iTero scanning systems. Reduced costs, increased
accuracy and time savings all add up to a highly efficient,
leading-edge practice.
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