iTero Element 5D
3D imaging system with near-infrared technology aids in detecting and monitoring interproximal caries
For Dr. Hana Rashid, providing a great patient experience means using a digital workflow to drive comprehensive in-house services such as same-day crowns, custom dentures, and Invisalign treatment. The starting point for any digital workflow is an intraoral scanner and, over the past few years, Dr. Rashid’s team has relied happily on the iTero Element 2 intraoral scanner to take high-definition digital im-pressions. However, when Align Technology released the iTero Element 5D imaging system—with enhanced visualization tools like near-infrared imaging (NIRI)—everything changed.
“We are entering a digital world, and dentistry is keeping up with the changes by allowing us to use technology that helps us diagnose better and show patients their teeth in a different way,” Dr. Rashid said, adding that she was intrigued after learning about the iTero Element 5D’s enhanced features and software applications. “When I learned about the 5D system’s near-infrared imaging, I knew I had to have it for both my new and recall patient scans.”
The iTero Element 5D simultaneously records a 3D scan, intraoral color photo, and NIRI image, presenting all 3 images on the same screen for the patient and doctor to view together. For Dr. Rashid, the NIRI technology has made an immediate difference in her diagnostic abilities, as she is now able to see areas of incipient lesions and other decay above the gingiva that could be missed in radiographs. Patients, meanwhile, appreciate that the system can aid in the detection of interproximal caries in a way that does not expose them to harmful radiation.
An Eye-Opener for Patients
“A lot of dentistry is based on showing patients what their teeth look like and, a lot of times, the photos should do most of the talking, instead of us,” Dr. Rashid said, adding that the iTero Element 5D has helped ensure treatment acceptance. “Showing the patient an intraoral photo, 3D digital scan, and NIRI image makes our job easy. Most often, it’s the patients saying, ‘Wow, that looks really bad!’”
The scanner’s visualization tools allow the dental team to show areas of wear to patients who deny they are bruxing or clenching, Dr. Rashid said. She uses the iTero TimeLapse Technology feature to show changes that have occurred over time—comparing a past and current scan so the patients can see that there is loss of tooth structure, especially with abfraction lesions.
Enhancing the Practice
In addition to the streamlined diagnostics and im-pressions, Dr. Rashid has enjoyed significant time savings with the iTero Element 5D—for example, making fewer adjustments with crowns and occlusal guards. “I’ve never regretted my decision to go digital, and nor do my patients, who always tell me how much nicer it is to not use the ‘goo’ that makes them gag during impressions. Instead, they are wowed by how quick and easy it is to capture the scan.”
Hana Rashid, DDS
Dr. Rashid graduated from University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in 2009 and completed a 1-year GPR program at Fresno Community Regional Medical Center. She joins her mother, Dr. Ibtisam Rashid, in private practice in Roseville, CA. In her spare time, she is a self-proclaimed CE junkie and is active with the Sacramento District Dental Society, serving on the Board of Directors and as a delegate to the CDA House of Delegates.
