Help Your Patients See with the iTero Element 2
iTero Element digital scanners feature powerful patient education tools combined with enhanced mobility and seamless connectivity that expands the restorative workflow
Communication and visualization are keys to helping patients feel comfortable in the dental chair and understand the conditions affecting their oral health. You want them to be able to see what’s wrong and grasp why they should move forward with restorative treatment. That’s where iTero Element scanners come in. Known for its rapid processing and clear imaging, Align Technology’s iTero Element 2 digital scanner is a powerful education tool that enables patients to visualize problem areas while you discuss possible paths toward treatment.
In recent years, Align has focused on adding intuitive software applications to the iTero Element scanner family that offer clinicians a sleek and streamlined user experience. Features like TimeLapse Technology provide enhanced visualization by comparing historical and current scans, while Occlusogram illustrates and highlights the contact relationship between arches with a color map.
An integrated rechargeable battery allows the iTero Element 2 to move easily between operatories without having to unplug and reboot. This enhanced mobility, combined with simple, touchscreen navigation and intuitive visualization features, solidify the iTero Element 2 scanner’s reputation as a powerful intraoral scanner and patient education tool, and one that has received the DPS Evaluators’ Choice award.
Expanding the Restorative Workflow
The iTero Element scanner family features an intuitive wand touchpad that allows clinicians to switch between scanning segments or rotating the model on-screen. Because the digital scanners allow for certified connectivity with the Planmeca and Glidewell.io chairside milling systems, clinicians have the ability to easily design, manufacture, and place same-day crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays, and onlays. Open STL export allows clinicians to send restorative files to their lab of choice or integrate them with CBCT images and data for use with third-party digital treatment planning providers.
“It’s very easy to export iTero scan files to computer software for virtual implant placement,” said Perry Jones, DDS, MAGD, IADFE, who practices in Richmond, VA. “With accurate surface morphology from the iTero Element scan, the file merge provides a virtual platform to design a surgical guide, giving dentists the highest level of implant placement confidence.”
Dr. Jones added that scanning is a remarkably fast and accurate process. “New clinicians will recognize a very short learning curve as iTero Element scanners are very easy to use,” he said. “The accuracy of a restoration depends on the accuracy of the scan, and iTero Element 2 delivers.”
The scanning software automatically detects and repositions start and stop points when a clinician moves within the scanned segment. Designed to help dentists work smarter, the iTero Element 2 scanner automatically stitches together images for rendering in the correct order, adapts to positioning changes, and detects and removes soft tissue.
The iTero Element 2 scanner’s versatility allows it to work with any restorative material, including porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, zirconia, composite, and full gold. “The scans are accurate and fast, which means there is no need for traditional impression material,” noted Dr. Mark Edington, a DPS evaluator who practices in Las Vegas, NV. “And the digital scan can be submitted to the lab immediately for faster turnaround.”
"iTero Element 2 offers simple, easy-to-use education tools to improve doctor-patient communication, which translates to greater patient case acceptance."
-Perry Jones, DDS, MAGD, IADFE
Visualizing the Future
When discussing restorative treatment options, wouldn’t it be convenient to have a crystal ball on deck for patients to peer into and see their future smiles? The iTero Element 2 scanner delivers the next best thing. TimeLapse software shows patients how their teeth are moving over time, and enables clinicians to compare a patient’s current and historical scan so they can more easily identify tooth wear and gingival recession.
“TimeLapse really raises the bar to aid in patient communication,” Dr. Jones shared. “It allows for an overlay of scans, so scan 1 can be compared to scan 2, 3, and so on. Patients can see how their teeth have moved, as well as areas of increased abfraction and wear.”
Dr. Jones said visualization and patient communication are also greatly enhanced with features such as Occlusogram. “It uses a simple software that creates an overlay of colors to help the dentist and patient see areas of occlusal contact,” he explained. Clinicians can quickly recognize that extensive red areas represent excessive forces in the patient’s occlusion, indicating future tooth wear or possible fracturing.
Dr. Edington noted a similar experience with his iTero Element 2 scanner. “Its fantastic occlusion feature allows us to see where further tooth preparation is needed based on the recommended thickness of the chosen restorative material,” he said, adding that the iTero Element 2 scanner’s touchscreen functioned similarly to a handheld electronic device or smartphone, making it easy to use with patients.
In noting the features that set the iTero Element 2 apart from other scanning systems, Dr. Jones cited its unique and easy-to-use wand. Ergonomic and built with integrated gyro technology, it lets operators easily rotate models on screen and uses a patent-pending ITO defogging system to defog instantly without needing air or extended warming.
“iTero Element 2 offers simple, easy-touse education tools to improve doctorpatient communication, which translates to greater patient case acceptance,” Dr. Jones added.
What Sets iTero Element 2 Apart?
iTero Element 2 scanners feature:
- •Smart Scanning: Improved wand touchpad allows users to switch between scanning segments or rotating the model on screen
- •High-Definition Visuals: With a sleek 21.5-inch monitor, the screen enables 16:9 widescreen viewing and features improved resolution for highly detailed images
- •Reduced Scan Processing: Perform a full arch scan in as little as 60 seconds
- •Enhanced Color Imaging: Color schemes offer a more thorough, accessible view of the patient’s oral cavity
- •Streamlined Restorative Workflow: Visualization tools and chairside milling integration help clinicians maximize time during the restoration process
- •Exclusive Software Applications: Timelapse Technology, Occlusogram, and Invisalign Outcome Simulator enhance patient experiences and drive treatment acceptance
