Does a Digital Dental Scan Take Longer than Traditional Impressions?
No, a digital dental scan is significantly faster than traditional impressions.
At Smilo Family Dental, the iTero digital scanning process is designed for speed and efficiency:
- Scan Time: A scan for a single arch of teeth typically takes only 30 to 60 seconds, with a full-mouth scan usually completed in 60 to 90 seconds.
- Comparison to Traditional Methods: Traditional molds use a bulky tray filled with goopy putty that must remain in the mouth for several minutes to set. This process is often messy and can trigger a gag reflex.
- No Waiting: Unlike physical molds, digital scans provide immediate results. The 3D model is built in real-time and displayed on a chairside screen moments after the scan is finished.
- Reduced Adjustments: Because digital scans achieve sub-millimeter precision (accurate within 0.1mm), they eliminate the risk of the distortion or air bubbles common in putty molds, which frequently requires patients to return for a second appointment to retake traditional impressions.
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