Newest advances in technology
Our Medit intraoral scanner has changed the way we take impressions for patients and has greatly improved our workflow. The Medit intraoral scanner allows us to take digital impressions; it simultaneously captures 2D images in colour with extremely accurate 3D scanning to weave a digital image of your dentition.
Our Medit intra oral scanner negates the need for the old-fashioned impressions in almost all cases. There is a small wand which captures images and scans the teeth. We gradually scan our way around the mouth to build a digital image of your teeth and gums.
Though it does take slightly longer than conventional impressions, we can stop and start the scanning as many times as needed so patients can have a rest or swallow. Instead of repeating the whole impression again, we just need to scan a particular area which may not have been captured as well on the scan. The feedback is positive from all almost all of them prefer the digital impression scanner to conventional impressions.
Patients also like seeing their digital impressions on screen and it shows things that a mirror can’t and therefore helps us to communicate treatment options.
Our work flow has become streamlined we went down the digital route. Once we have taken a digital impression with the Medit intraoral scanner, we can email the digital file directly to the dental laboratory. The laboratory can then download it, print it on a 3D printer or work on the model using a specialised software. The models are 3D printed (to a resolution of 22 microns). Many things can be copied from the original scans. Since most lab work is milled or printed from a digital design, having a pre-treatment digital record improves the accuracy of the finished result.
Digital impressions also permit us to directly compare scans taken at different intervals. We can monitor tooth wear, tooth movement over time periods. The digital impressions are stored on a secure cloud to allow access at will to print new models if needed, or just compare them to new scans.
As this is the future of dentistry, it was a sensible choice to invest in the cutting-edge technology. Less than 9% of the dentistry done in the UK is done digitally and we are pleased to offer this at Moretonhampstead Dental Practice. Our digital communications with other healthcare providers meet GDPR standards.