by Dr Deborah Rea, Fairview Park Dental Clinic, Fairview Park, SA
I use the iTero to scan teeth when doing crown preparations and implant prosthetics. It is so accurate that I haven’t had to adjust a crown or repeat work since we started using it. It works like a dream.
What’s good about it
After scanning the teeth, the results appear as a highly detailed 3D image. This image can be manipulated and rotated to see if the preparation is accurate. You can check the margins, see if there’s enough clearance and enlarge the image to check for any defects.
It’s also fantastic at recording an accurate bite. When using impression material, there’s always a bit of drag or a bit of distortion or a bubble. You don’t get any of that with the itero.
It works extremely well with Invisalign. The scan can be sent to Invisalign and they check it against ‘Clincheck’, which is what I use for my treatment plans. They can approve the scan instantly and immediately start making the Invisalign aligners. It’s a much quicker, accurate and more comfortable procedure compared to using impressions.
iTero doesn’t save or make us money. Its strength is that it makes the lives of the dentists, staff and patients much easier.
What’s not so good
The intra-oral wand is a bit big and cumbersome. The company informed me that to get a high number of data points with accuracy, they can’t reduce the size of the wand. It’s just something we have to live with until the technology advances to the next level.
You are also a bit locked in to which laboratories you can use as not everyone has the capacity to read the iTero data.
Where did you get it
Core3dcentres
