Metal Mouth Message Board

Just wondering, what are those like(I'm having one for my records appt on Sept 4)?

In my opinion, it's an excellent technique. A couple of people who have wisdom teeth said that when the scanner got to the very back it felt like there wasn't enough room but I didn't have this problem. I have a very small mouth but no wisdoms.
Basically it is like the scanners that librarians use. It takes about 20 minutes or half an hour. The scanner is places over different parts of you teeth and kept very still. When the angle is right, it will sense it and automatically take the picture.

I have had both impressions and scanner and I MUCH prefer the scanner.

Here's a video about the iOC Invisalign scanner process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJF6B-choU

Apart from it being more comfortable that impressions, the image is much more accurate as well, leading to better fitting aligners. This is one of the most positive changes I have noticed as a treating doctor.

Hey sweetcynic, there's a few comments in this thread about it: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 19&t=42217

I think its summarised quite well with everyone's comments here... at worst its a little uncomfortable if you have wisdom teeth, otherwise there is nothing but benefits. And if nothing else, it's pretty cool seeing a 3D image of your mouth get created!

I had both the digital impressions done, and the molds. I wish I would have only done the digital, tons easier! They put the scanner on each tooth and wait for a beep that the scan worked. They take a scan of each side (outside, biting surface, and inside). When they are all done, the computer puts all of the images together and you see your teeth on the screen. If there are any missing spots, it shows up a different color on the computer and they rescan that point in your mouth. It's quick and easy and really amazing to see being done!

I found the digital scans to be more uncomfortable than the traditional mold impressions. One the flip side, the digital scans result in a much better fitting aligner. Its a trade off. In the long run Id go for the improved fit of the aligners over the comfort of the impressions.

The comfort of the scan and the impression is going to depend on how you feel but also on the skill of the technician. Since we became proficient in using the scanner, no patients have preferred the PVS impressions. As you mentioned, the fact that they are more accurate alone should make it the gold standard, even if some people may find it slightly less comfortable.

I had the digital impressions it's pretty amazing really and the dental assistant was very patient when the machine kept telling her to rescan whatever areas did not show up to it's liking. I was skeptical about how that could possibly work but the trays fit perfectly so pretty cool.

TrayChic wrote:I had the digital impressions it's pretty amazing really and the dental assistant was very patient when the machine kept telling her to rescan whatever areas did not show up to it's liking. I was skeptical about how that could possibly work but the trays fit perfectly so pretty cool.

The aligners created actually conform better to the teeth than those created by PVS impressions. Our anecdotal experience with the Vivera retainers is that patients actually have a difficult time trying to remove them because they are so tight upon initial insertion.