If you’re anticipating getting braces in your future, you’re probably aware that dental impressions are as well. Every year nearly four million people in the United States have braces, and all of them had to have an impression of their teeth taken before they were put on. While this process used to involve having two trays inserted in your mouth containing an unpleasant tasting substance, those days are largely in the past. One of the newest innovations in dental imaging technologies has made these messy, inaccurate, and unpleasant devices unnecessary.
What Are Impressions For?
Braces can do wonderful things for your oral health. By straightening out your teeth, they help to make dental hygiene easier, eliminating nooks and crannies that plaque and tartar can hang out in while also helping to eliminate bite problems. In addition to these practical benefits, they also improve the appearance of your smile. The first step of accomplishing this, however, is the dentist gaining a clear understanding of the condition of your teeth. To achieve this, there’s no better option than impressions.
Digital Impressions – The Imaging of the Future
As we mentioned earlier, impressions used to be taken using an unpleasant substance set in trays that were uncomfortable to wear. Even worse, when these impression were complete, they had a tendency to dry out, warp, and crack. All of this meant that they became more unreliable over time, sometimes requiring them to be taken again. Digital impressions spell an end to all that nonsense. Instead of using a physical medium to get an impression of your teeth, a special scanner is used to create a picture-perfect replica of your mouth in a digital 3D format. They’ll never degrade, they’re painless, and they provide a superior tool for your dentist.
The Digital Impression Procedure
Getting dental impressions is quick and easy. When you see your dentist for a digital impression, they’re going to use a specialized wand that captures the imagery. There’s no anesthetic involved or needed, as the process is completely painless. The wand uses specialized imaging technology to scan the interior of your mouth, flawlessly capturing every curve, bump, and depression on the surface of your teeth. Since they’re stored in a digital format they can be easily shared with specialists in seconds, and you’ll never have to worry about them getting lost in the mail. Even better, when it’s all done your dentist can share them with you and clearly show you what work needs to be done and where.
Want to know more? Contact St. Claire Dental today to arrange a meeting with Dr. Maureen Karl for dental care. Our team of professional and friendly office staff will help answer your questions and prepare you for your visit to our offices in Granbury, TX. Digital impressions bring clarity to your dental care choices that will make you feel confident in your treatment options. Don’t wait to reach out to us; we look forward to adding you to our dental patient family!