by Dr Keith Hengpoonthana, Newington Dental Care, NSW
Prior to owning this iTero scanner, I was still using alginate and PVS to take impressions. Like most practices, we are moving towards a digital workflow and it’s definitely a faster and more efficient system.
What’s good about it
iTero is partnered with Invisalign so the whole process runs very smoothly. I take a full arch scan of the mouth, transfer it to Invisalign, and within a day or two Invisalign has everything worked out. In the past, I had to send the impression and then wait a week for Invisalign to respond. Using the iTero Element 2 scanner cuts the turnaround time in half.
The Element 2 comes with a large screen that’s easy for the patient to see. The scanner is attached to the screen so the results appear in real time. There’s a program that simulates how the teeth will look after the Invisalign treatment.
We also use the Element 2 for indirect restorative work. I can scan a tooth preparation for a crown, send it electronically to the lab and the finished crown comes back in no time. While I haven’t reached the point where the old school impression technique is totally eliminated, the Element 2 has taken over most of my impression work.
What’s not so good
There’s quite a steep learning curve with this unit and the scanning camera is larger many others on the market. It takes a little while to work out how to position the camera to ensure you get a scan of the target area. That said, after the first few scans, you realise how to manipulate it to achieve an effective result.
