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The complete introduction to intraoral scanning
Are you considering switching from analog to digital dental impressions because you've heard it can bring value? We’ve listed everything you might want to know about the what, why and how of intraoral scanning.
“The curtain that doctors have been hiding behind: the one that says digital is no good or the quality isn’t there, no longer exists.”
Dr. Vincent Prestipino, Prosthodontist
What is an intraoral scanner?
1”CAD/CAM means that you take impressions with an intraoral scanner, not with conventional materials and trays. With software you digitize, analyze and manipulate the scanned images, instead of pouring models. You design restorations with CAD software, not by hand-waxing models. After that, they are milled through a CAM process, rather than by pressing and/or layering.”
Dr. Jonathan Ferencz
What are the cost savings of intraoral scanning?
2Intraoral scans are performed quicker than analog impressions, depending on your level of experience. The functionality, in terms of the workflow and ease of use, is no longer a discussion either.
Impression material and shipping
Depending on your practice set up, the savings on using an intraoral scanner can be huge. From PVS material to plaster for models, the digital workflow all but eliminates the need for physical impressions. Not to mention shipping and storage savings. If you are an orthodontist, you can digitize all your models. That’s five years of models now stored on a hard disc or the cloud.
Use our ROI Calculator to do the math for the number of treatments that you offer.
Faster workflows
For some doctors, the digital workflow lets them accomplish nearly as much work as they have always done, but in half the time. The case of Dr. Ferencz, for example, illustrates how he managed to give a patient that came in with a broken crown a completely new crown in just one visit.
“I took the broken piece and slipped it back into his mouth – it fit perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle. And had my assistant do a pre-prep scan. Then I took the broken piece off. I gave the patient a little Novocain and grounded away the piece that was still cemented. I placed a cord and scanned the prep with our 3Shape TRIOS. The technician in the lab then designed and milled him a new crown. Ninety minutes later, he left with a final crown and not a temporary one.”
How will intraoral scanning affect my patients?
3See what in-house dentistry can do for your practice
“Having this as an option has affected the business in a way that provides faster turnaround, more efficiency, a convenience for the patient and immediate results.”
Dr. Prestipino
How accurate are digital impressions?
4Digital scans versus analog impressions
There are plenty of studies that document the accuracy of intraoral scanning. We’ve listed and sorted of few of them for you, if you want to check it out for yourself.
By eliminating analog impressions from your workflow, you instantly remove your lab’s biggest source of error: your impression. In their latest State of the Industry, LMT magazine identified that 47% of labs rated the lack of quality in the analogue impression they receive from dentists as their biggest challenge. They also said it is much easier and more accurate to work with digital impressions.
Image: Selected representative 3D Compare Analysis of IOS and IMPR and color histogram depicting deviations with settings at nominal ±20 μm and critical ±100 μm.
* Source: Journal of Dentistry, Accuracy and precision of 3 intraoral scanners and accuracy of conventional impressions: A novel in vivo analysis method.
Want to know more about how digital quality compares to analog?
We’ve listed and compared all relevant clinical studies.
How much does an intraoral scanner cost?
5The price of an intraoral scanner
The price of your solution ultimately depends on your ambitions, growth plans and needs. Using a complete system has the potential to reduce costs related to impression material, provisional crowns, time in the office, and laboratory bills. Dr. Parag Kachalia estimated that dentists who switch to office CAD/CAM systems can reduce their laboratory bill by 60% to 70%.”
But at the end of the day, it’s not about what you pay, but what you get. Dr. Mark McOmie from the US did the math and his reflection is that the cost of the scanner is not just the upfront cost of the scanner. It’s much more relevant to look at its lifecycle and look at total cost of ownership. He took 3M, Cerec, PlanScan, 3Shape TRIOS and iTero and concluded that the costs varied wildly. Some charge a dongle fee (a per use charge), some have yearly fees, some charge monthly fees, warranty fees, support fees, etc. He added the upfront costs of the scanner, fees and maintenance agreements and multiplied it by six years. This gave the cost to own and operate the scanner for six years.
What he also did, was charting the savings of digital versus analog. Upon seeing the results and buying an intraoral scanner, Dr. McOmie concluded, “you want to know how to send your kids to college? Buy a 3Shape TRIOS intraoral scanner.”
| Crowns per month | Cost per analog impression w/ bite registration + triple tray cost | Discount from lab for digital impression | Savings per month | Savings per year | Two-year savings | Six-year savings |
| 40 | 40 USD | 20 USD | 2,400 USD | 28,800 USD | 57,600 USD | 115,600 USD |
Use our ROI Calculator and do do the math based on the treatments you offer.
Is intraoral scanning easy?
6We are by no means unbiased. But from what we’ve heard, when you can operate a mobile phone, you can operate an intraoral scanner too. Most suppliers of intraoral scanners will offer scan guides, telling you how to best scan for certain indications such as crown and bridge , or clear aligners, or dentures. The more you practice, the quicker you will get.
"It really is a simpler process. Sure, there is a learning curve. But if you can use a smartphone, you can scan."
Dr. Jurim
Practical how-to guides
To help you get a sense of what it takes to do scan-only, we’ve compiled a few how-to guides to give you an idea of what working with our intraoral scanner (3Shape TRIOS) is like.
- How to setup case details
- How to operate our intraoral scanner in daily use
- How to add a new patient
- How to scan the lower jaw, trim the scan and take HD photo
- How to use AI scanning with our intraoral scanner
- How to take a shade measurement
- How to perform a workflow for an inlay onlay
- How to send a case to a lab and a patient
Outside of our extensive libraries with online training material, most suppliers will also have their own training institutes for trainings to help you get started, or you can find inspiration in one of the many online digital dentistry communities.
Comparing intraoral scanners
7With more and more intraoral scanner brands entering the market, choosing the system that is best for you can be a daunting exercise. Should you go for powder or not? What is the value of wireless scanning? How about subscriptions – do or don’t? Is an open system the clever way to go, or does a closed architecture make more sense?
The Institute of Digital Dentistry did a helpful comparison of the major brands that were present at IDS 2019, including our TRIOS. Their evaluation criteria might give you a good indicator of what to look out for when trying different brands for yourself:
- Scanning Speed and Flow
- Size of the Scanner
- Ease of Use
- Intraoral Scanner Price / Investment Cost
- Subscription Requirements or Maintenance Packages
- Open or Closed Scan Exporting
- Autoclavable Scanning Tips
- Touchscreen
- Wireless Scanner
- Caries Detection
- CAD Integration
Their conclusion? There is no perfect scanner, although some come with clear advantages over others. Choosing one should depend on many factors such as your budget, what procedures you focus on in your practice, other 3rd party technology do you own (CBCT, printers, mills?), and whether you want to scan and send or carry out single-visit restorations.
Read full reportWant to learn more?
Ask your reseller regarding availability of 3Shape products in your region.