Digital Dentistry of course- let's talk about scanners...
Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw
Digital Dentistry of course- Scanners
Digital scanning technology has revolutionised modern dentistry. There is not one part of dentistry that doesn’t benefit from this digital revolution. Dental scanners are now widely available for clinicians to buy at much reduced prices that makes dental scanning affordable and efficient for all practitioners. Digital dentistry, of course, is here to stay and this could make the most difference to you and your dentistry now and into the future. Start your Digital Dentistry course today and see how it might affect you.
These digital workflows make for a better experience for the patient, the clinician and the technician. So the start of your digital journey would usually involve access to a scanner. This can be an intraoral or desktop scanner. When you embark on your Digital Dentistry course, help yourself by steering a course withyour destination in mind.
There is a plethora of available options ranging from around £15,000 to £50,000 for an intraoral scanner but whichever one you end up with, don’t forget to ask yourself the question of what you are going to do with it, once that shiny new scanner is unboxed, plugged in and scan ready.
So here are 4 things to try with your scanner ?
Scan and send or in house milling?
Take the impression material challenge. Once you and your staff have had a few practise scans and perhaps some training, you will find that you can capture scans easily and efficiently. You can then transmit them to the laboratory with ease and efficiency. You might also have the facility for in house milling of crowns/inlays and bridges. Your patients will not only be impressed but also benefit from more efficient workflows
2. Orthodontics ?
Treatment simulations increase case acceptance. It is now possible to scan a patient and offer them a realistic treatment simulation within a few minutes. Think how impressive and immersive this is for a patient who might be considering orthodontics
3. Study models ?
Have you got boxes of old study models that are taking up valuable space ? You can now scan them and store them digitally using a desktop scanner. Also think about how intraoral scanning can offer you the opportunity to go impression free and perhaps even 3D print your own study models. Ever wanted to do a virtual motivational mockup ? Now you can…
4. Guided implant placements/ Surgical guides ?
Place implants more efficiently and more accurately by meshing your CT scan data with an intraoral scan. Plan the implants digitally and then use a milled or 3D printed surgical guide for placements.