If there’s one experience those who’ve gotten implants, crowns, braces, or bridges can relate to it, it’s the unpleasant creation of an impression. Traditionally these important tools were created using uncomfortable trays filled with a goopy medium that forms around our teeth. Even the flavored versions are often distinctly unpleasant or barely tolerable at best. Many patients would find that the combination of dental tray and goop would trigger their gag reflex, making an already trying experience even less enjoyable. Digital impressions are here to put an end to this experience and improve the way that impressions are taken.
Discovering Digital Impressions and What They Mean For Your Dental Care
The purpose of any dental impression is to create a model of your teeth and oral cavity that the dentist can use in creating your care plan. While gel impressions have been used for generations, they have some drawbacks. For the patient, the most immediate drawback is their being uncomfortable and messy, while their lower precision, cost of materials, and generated waste can cause problems for the dentist.
Digital impressions also come with the following benefits:
- Comfort: Traditional molds are renowned for being uncomfortable and messy, with some patients having poor reactions to both the trays and the goop used. Also, those with temperature sensitivity sometimes report discomfort.
- Quality: There is a greater margin of distortion and error found in traditional impressions. 3-D digital impressions are far more precise, resulting in a better fitting bridge, crown, or other appliance. They also make it possible to place dental implants in a way that’s more advantageous.
- Cost-Effective: Digital impressions come with no increase in cost while providing unquestionably superior results.
- Less Wasteful: Rather than using trays and a casting medium that has to be mixed, used, and discarded, 3-D imaging uses a special wand that is swept around the inside of your mouth to get an image. This is sanitized between each use, resulting in almost no waste.
These three reasons represent those that drive dentists to invest in digital imaging machines. Another advantage of using this form of impression is that the results are stored in a digital format. This makes it trivial for your dentist to forward them to a specialist and share them with other medical professionals that are involved in your care. This reduces the number of imaging films needed and helps ensure they don’t get lost or misplaced since multiple copies can be made with ease.
Ask Your Dentist About Digital Impressions
Digital impressions represent the leading edge of dental imaging and casting and are becoming available at a greater range of dental offices. When used in conjunction with 3-D Panoramic X-Rays, they are one of the most important tools for aiding your dentist in understanding the specifics of your oral health. Make contact with your provider to find out if they offer digital impressions and imaging, and schedule an appointment with your provider. If so, you’ll know you’re receiving the latest and most innovative care for your oral health.
