Message Boards
Today's Active Topics Today's Active Cases Browse Forum Categories My Recent Activity My Messages Private Groups My Marked Threads My Subscriptions
Today's Active Images Today's Active Polls Most Active Topics Global Townie Map Advanced Message Board Search Message Board Terms of Use

Digital Intra-oral Scanners: Before and After the Purchase by Dr. Ilene Rees

Start Discussion


A decade after receiving my bachelor's degree, I had ample education and field experience to begin my own orthodontic practice. The year was 2006, and technology at the time (much like today) was flourishing. Consumers were tied to their (newly) smart, thin cell phones, computers and laptops were getting smaller and quicker, and Facebook—well, need I say more? I wanted my practice to be on the digital forefront—cutting edge, efficient and intuitive. Getting there took time, but today we treat patients with the convenience of digital intra-oral scans and we use 3D treatment planning for more efficient treatment. My vision from 2006 became a working reality.

Like many orthodontists, I had experienced my fair share of working with alginate and polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) material. PVS is a messy process for patients and staff alike—not to mention the horrible taste. Therefore, high on my technology wish list was an intra-oral scanner. I asked endless colleagues for advice and conducted thorough research—two things I highly recommend. Introducing an intra-oral scanner into the practice was a transition, and through trial and error we learned a slew of important details about integrating a digital intra-oral scanner into the practice workflow. Here's a look at the biggest lessons we learned along the way.

Scanner Research: The Recommended Steps

Research is a vital step before any big purchase. Here are the important steps to take while conducting your scanner research.
  1. Know what you're looking for. Go into the process with an open mind, but identify exactly what type of product your practice needs and stick to the budget. This will help you stay focused and not go overboard, nor get overwhelmed during the process. In looking for a digital scanner, I wanted to be able to capture full arch scans easily. However, my ultimate goal was to capture a quick impression without sacrificing quality. I also wanted a scanning technology designed specifically for orthodontists, which helped narrow my search.
  2. Ask peers for their opinion. Tap your close friends and colleagues in the industry, and ask them to share their thoughts on various technologies. I turned to my close friends within the industry and asked for their candid feedback. I asked questions about the features that I deemed most important and made sure to seek out the positive and the negative. Orthotown.com is a great place to start picking the brains of your peers.
  3. Identify specific characteristics of the technology. Make a pro and con list if you're having trouble deciding what technology may be better for your practice. Portability of the unit was very important to me, as I wanted to bring the product from chair-to-chair or room-to-room. The weight and size of the scanning wand was also crucial because I didn't want my team members to be worn out using the device throughout the day. Most of all, I needed dependable, high-quality images.
  4. Try everything out yourself. Invite a sales representative to visit your practice so you can try the product out yourself. That's right, get in the patient chair and give it a whirl! Another crucial factor in making our digital scanner purchase was patient comfort. I tested products on my team members who would give me honest feedback regarding their comfort during the scans. Then, we switched places, and I would get in the chair. It was great to test everything out firsthand and observe the process for each scanner, including the time required and being able to evaluate the quality of the digital images.

After all my research, I purchased the Lythos Digital Impression System, part of Ormco Custom. Lythos offers a convenient, powder-free scanning method using state-of-the-art video technology to quickly capture real-time impression data. The scanner met my core requirements: detailed and accurate scans, intuitive interface, comfortable patient experience, easy for staff to operate with an ergonomic wand and, at roughly 25 pounds total, lightweight and portable.

We also use Insignia Advanced Smile Design in our practice. Pairing our use of Insignia 3D treatment planning and customized brackets with the impressions from Lythos was simple. The two systems work seamlessly together, alleviating logistics and frustrations on our end. Furthermore, with the Lythos rebate, every Insignia case submitted reduces the cost of Lythos by $100.

Workflow Impact: How to Make a Smooth Transition

When you purchase a digital scanner, prepare for workflow changes—positive changes and unexpected ones. Keep in mind, most transitional hiccups are minor and can be avoided by keeping open lines of communication with your team and carefully thinking through each step of the new patient process. Here are some checklist items to keep in mind.
  1. Set up a strict training plan. We shut down our practice for a day and a half, so no one would miss out on training and we would have the full attention of every team member. It was important for everyone to watch how to scan, and then pick up the wand and go through the steps themselves. Plus, you really want to maximize the 1:1 training attention provided by the manufacturers.
  2. Schedule time for your staff to practice and hone their scanning skills. Initially, we failed to schedule time for our staff to practice using the scanner, and in hindsight we should have been more intentional about scheduling training sessions. The truth is, like almost anything, people need to keep practicing in order to become better at using the new technology.
  3. Select a point person on your staff who is a natural at scanning to be the office expert. In the beginning stages of implementing the scanner, we also set a time limit on how long it should take to scan a patient. If capturing the arch took more than 10 minutes, then we would have our point person come in and help out. This is why scheduling time for practice is so important. When everyone feels comfortable and confident with the scanner, digital images will come out as planned.
  4. Carefully think through your new treatment submission process. Prior to using Lythos, patients had traditional impressions taken, then the models or impressions would be placed on my desk for me to write the prescription. Using digital scans, all of this information is in the cloud, where nothing needs to be tangibly taken care of. However, this meant sometimes assistants would submit prescriptions without knowing I wanted specific instruction before sending it to the lab. Therefore, we created a submission protocol, in which I would review and approve each scan before it was submitted to ensure it was submitted properly and not left unprocessed in the cloud.
Conclusion

My team is extremely happy to have an alternative to traditional impressions, and I have actually received more business as a result of offering digital scans. Integrating digital impressions is a practice transition, but one I recommend. Today's technology has tremendous benefits and comes with an easy learning curve. We learned a lot along the way, and it has helped us refine how our practice operates and has ultimately led to better patient care.
Dr. Ilene Rees loves getting to know her patients and their families at Omega Orthodontics in San Angelo, Texas. Her passion is creating beautiful smiles that her patients deserve. She received her Bachelor of Science from Texas Christian University, her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Baylor College of Dentistry, advanced education in general dentistry from Virginia Commonwealth University and practiced her orthodontic residency at Saint Louis University. Dr. Rees invests in continuing education by participating in numerous lectures and academic programs that help her keep pace with advancements in patient care.

Orthotown Magazine
September 2025
Orthotown Magazine September 2025 Read Current Issue Read Archived Issues
Sponsors
Townie® Poll
Do you have a dedicated insurance coordinator in your office?
  
Site Menu
Message Boards Magazine Continuing Education Podcasts Blogs Classifieds News Events Townie® Poll Ebooks Townie Choice Awards
Company Info
Contact Us Advertise With Us Howard Farran DDS, MBA Policies and Agreements
Site Help
Sally Gross, Member Services Specialist
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: sally@farranmedia.com
©2025 Orthotown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450