Among the list of items that patients almost universally dislike are putty impressions. These impressions were taken to record the exact positioning of each tooth and were used in the making of custom crowns and other restorations requiring a customized fit. In order to take an impression, metal trays were sized to fit over each arch of the tooth before being lined with putty and pressed over the arch. This regularly caused putty to press out of the form and onto the soft palate where some patients experienced gag response. Tray edges often pressed into or scratched the soft tissues and, what’s more, impressions often had to be taken more than once to achieve an ideal sample.

With the new technology offered by iTero® Digital Scanners, putty impressions are a necessity of the past. This handheld scanning tool scans the entirely of your mouth in a matter of minutes with digital accuracy that virtually eliminates rework.  This pain-free and highly accurate scanning capacity means that a full digital representation is ready to review with your dentist almost instantly.

The iTero® system is radiation-free and is an excellent tool for patients and dentists when discussing treatment plans or when providing patient education about a diagnosis. These digital scans collect all the required information for dental laboratories to be able to produce restorations or to make orthodontic aligners.