Over the past two decades, digital technology has revolutionized orthodontics. Advancements like digital photography, software for paperless practice management and imaging, digital radiographs, digital study models, and CBCT 3D imaging have completely changed how orthodontists operate on a daily basis.
These technologies have been home runs because they save time, advance diagnostics and greatly improve the patient experience. The latest technology game changer in orthodontics promises similar success: welcome digital impressions.
Digital impression systems are revolutionizing the specialty of orthodontics. Very few technologies deliver such meaningful benefits to all three important components of a practice—doctors, staff members and patients. Not only have digital impressions improved the experience for the "big three" listed above, but additionally have revolutionized the modern orthodontic laboratory. An orthodontic lab that truly adopts digital technology will implement more process changes going digital than it has implemented over the previous 30 years.
Any laboratory can claim the term digital if they buy a 3D printer to receive and print digital impression files. However, only a few advanced digital labs have taken the technology to the next level. These forward-thinking laboratories have become experts with technologies such as computer-aided design software, subtractive milling and additive printing.
Sophisticated technology has been implemented throughout the lab, finding new ways to improve orthodontic practice efficiency and overall appliance quality. The modern digital orthodontic lab can also help orthodontists by reviewing patient scans, offering pearls to improve the staff member's scanning technique and assisting with the digital-impression practice-implementation process.
Many orthodontists already own a digital impression system, but have yet to reap the benefits of implementing it across their practice. This high-tech investment often sits in the corner, getting very little use outside the occasional aligner scan. This is probably not the return on investment orthodontists originally had in mind. Maybe they have been too busy to truly implement the technology, or perhaps they are just not aware of the time and money savings, the appointment reductions, the appliance quality improvements and marketing potential that their scanning system offers.
If this is the case, it's time to partner with an experienced digital lab and optimize their investment. Orthodontists who have done this are saving valuable time and money, improving the patient experience, and becoming more marketable as a high-tech practice.
Digital impression technology will improve case acceptance, optimize workflow, eliminate impression redundancy, reduce the number of required appointments and produce precision-fit custom lab appliances. Below, let's review these benefits of digital impressions in an orthodontic practice.
Improved case acceptance
Today's generation loves technology and associates it with quality, so use your digital scanner to help sell your high-tech office. Take advantage of this marketing moment and show off your scanner during the patient's pre-exam office tour.
When patients and parents understand that the scanner eliminates gagging by replacing the goop from traditional impressions, you've just moved one step closer to treatment acceptance.
Digital scanning also allows the doctor to review treatment options immediately in most patients. Once the scan is achieved, post-orthodontic treatment scenarios can be simulated at the consultation. Parents truly appreciate scanning technology and its improvement in patient comfort and efficiency.
Optimize workflow for laboratory appliances
Workflow improvements between the practice and the lab will reduce the appliance turnaround time by as many as five days. Inbound mail is eliminated because digital models upload directly to the lab immediately after acquisition. The lab can often print the working models that same day, so some appliances begin construction on day two.
Potential errors introduced while taking impressions, pouring models and shipping are eliminated. Too often the practice is informed of distorted or broken models several days to a week later. Calling the patient to come back to the office for repeat impressions is never a pleasant experience. On the other hand, bad digital impressions are rare. The office assistant views the impression build process while scanning. This helps eliminate any impression issues because the software identifies missing data, and a new image of the area can be captured. The doctor can also view the scans prior to the patient leaving the office.
Eliminate impression redundancy
Many offices take multiple impressions before beginning treatment, one for records and one for the lab appliance. A single digital impression can produce 3D images or models for records and diagnostics. The same scan can be sent to the lab for appliances or indirect bonding trays. The scan can also provide instant educational information for the doctor and patient.
Reduce appointments and decrease treatment time
An advanced digital lab can make more than one type of appliance from a single scan. For example, making an expander and a transpalatal arch (TPA) from the same initial records scan (pre separators). Bands are digitally fitted, and the expander is constructed. The modern digital lab then uses sophisticated software to expand the virtual model per the doctor's instructions and prints the post-expansion model for TPA construction. Orthodontists now can deliver TPA appliances the same day that the expander is removed. In this example of digital efficiency, two appointments and several weeks of treatment time are eliminated from the usual process.
Intraoral scanning enables orthodontists to eliminate another appointment by delivering fixed and removable retainers at the bracket removal appointment. Consider this example of the new Guardian retainer system from Specialty Appliances: one appointment prior to debonding, a digital impression including brackets is acquired. Skilled digital technicians use 3D software to carefully remove all appliances from the digital model. Before printing the model, it can be manipulated to include minor anterior refinements and band-space closure. The digital model is then printed and retainers with built-in correction are created and delivered on debonding day. Another advantage to Guardian retainers is that multiple retainers can be made from one durable printed model. Supplying patients with back-up removable retainers is a great way to insure long-term stability.
Precision-fit appliances
Most accuracy studies focus on prosthetic and restorative cases, and they support digital scanning accuracy. Full-arch impression studies have also found digital impressions to equal or exceed conventional impression accuracy. Of course, the many deleted steps of working with conventional impressions helps to improve accuracy in the clinical practice. For example, there are no distorted impressions or stone models. Orthodontic laboratories also validate accuracy by reporting a substantial drop in the number of remakes when a practice switches from conventional to digital impressions.
Digital technology is here to stay in most industries. As for orthodontics, it is not a matter of if, but when, a practice will join the digital technology revolution. Learning the benefits of the technology and understanding how to adjust for the costs involved are key factors for success. Scanning and 3D printing technology are constantly evolving. This may seem overwhelming at first, but if you commit to the technology, you will quickly reap the benefits.
|