Here’s Your Entry Point Into Digital Dentistry
When it comes to any sizable investment, there are benefits and potential drawbacks that need to be carefully weighed. No business owner wants to sink money into something on the hope that it will magically solve problems. This certainly holds true for a technology that is slowly but surely taking dentistry by storm—the intraoral scanner.
You’ve heard about the virtues of digital impressions and you know they’re making greater inroads into dental practices worldwide. In fact, many of your patients are probably aware that there’s a digital alternative to the goopy impression material that makes them gag. But you’ve also seen the price tag and fretted about the learning curve. Fortunately, technology evolves quickly in dentistry, and new opportunities arise that can address those earlier doubts.
One such opportunity has emerged in the case of intraoral scanners. The Medit i500, available through Axsys Dental Solutions, presents a chance to step into digital dentistry and realize the many benefits of scanning without breaking the bank. Here, I’ll explore a few of those advantages as well as what some clinicians may see as a potential downside of investing in an intraoral scanner.
Ease of Use
With its impressive speed and powderless system, the i500 allows for a smooth scanning experience—guiding the clinician to make sure to capture the most accurate scan. With a lightweight design, small tip, and single-button control, the system employs an intelligent scan detecting algorithm that allows it to easily pick up where it left off if the scanning process is interrupted.
Check out this Facebook Live feed to see how easy it is to use.
Accuracy
The i500 takes rapid, video-based scans, and its smart technology means its colored scans can distinguish between soft tissue, plaque, and tooth enamel with razor-sharp precision across the full arch. The realistic, high-resolution color images result in easy-to-locate margin lines and undercuts. Independent studies have confirmed the system’s superior accuracy.
Open System
The i500 uses an open CAD/CAM system, allowing for easy export of the scans in multiple file formats, including STL, OBJ, and PLY. The files can be instantly shared with the dental lab or transferred to other systems employed as part of your digital dentistry workflow.
The Patient Experience
It’s no secret that intraoral scanning is more comfortable for patients than traditional impressions—particularly for those with strong gag reflexes or small mouths. The i500 wand is designed for simple maneuverability and its small, round tip provides improved patient comfort. It’s also worth noting that, in the era of COVID-19, patients find intraoral scanning even more beneficial because of the speedy process that means less time in the chair.
Now, let’s take a look at two potential drawbacks of investing in an intraoral camera, and see how the Medit i500 addresses those concerns.
Cost Factor
When running a small business, every investment is monumental. The price has to be right and the ROI should be virtually guaranteed. Costing only $18,000 (and charging no license fees), the i500 is an ideal entry point into digital dentistry. Axsys is even running a promotion now that let's you finance the scanner, starting at $99 per month.
Time is also money, and you’ll save the time wasted on taking (and, many times, retaking) and processing traditional impressions, while reducing your spend on stone, plaster, alginate, silicones, and impression trays.
Learning Curve
While most clinicians are able to quickly adapt to using an intraoral scanner, there is a learning curve associated with digital dentistry. Fortunately, Axsys offers free distance learning and training opportunities, as well as free technical support. It is worth noting that, with any intraoral scanner, there is some level of difficulty detecting subgingival margins, especially in the presence of bleeding. However, with proper tissue management procedures in place, that issue is easy to resolve. Check out this case study on how to secure subgingival margin in restorative crown therapy using the i500.
The bottom line is that, once you’ve mastered the technology, the advantages of using an intraoral scanner will be both clear and compelling.