An early step in orthodontic treatment is to build a model of your teeth so the orthodontist can accurately study your bite and plan your treatment. In many offices this is accomplished by biting into a mouthful of gooey impression material. Simply Orthodontics offers radiation-free Digital Scans as an alternative option to the gooey material. Preparing a Digital Scan is more comfortable for you, it results in a higher accuracy model of your teeth, and allows us to show you the expected result before you start your treatment.

The Traditional Way

Traditional Impression – uncomfortable for many patients.

In the days of gooey impression material, before digital scans, models of patients mouths were prepared by having the patient bite into a tray filled with impression material; similar to the fluoride trays used at your dentist’s office (but much bigger and filled with a material of similar consistency to cookie dough). The material is taken out after a few minutes of biting onto the tray; after getting a successful impression, that impression is used to create a clay model of your mouth.

Out With the Goo… In with the New!

Intra-Oral Scanner: an alternative option of modeling your teeth.

Since 2011, Royal York Orthodontics has used a radiation-free Intra Oral Digital Scanner, a small in-mouth camera which takes 3D pictures of your teeth, then assembles those pictures to create a 3D model. The resulting model is used by Dr. Sky to accurately measure and study your tooth positions and bite relationship so she may design your individual treatment plan. This collection of images may also be printed with a 3D printer, creating a plastic model of your teeth to create Invisalign® aligners; Incognito ™ Hidden Custom braces; retainers and space maintainers; expanders; and other custom orthodontic appliances.

More Comfort, Less Time, with Less Waste

You have the option for a digital impression rather than a traditional impression, offering the following benefits:

• Avoid initial traditional impressions, avoiding the old goopy/gaggy process which many children and adults stress over;
• Fewer appointments, as only one impression is typically required for multiple uses:
  • The impression used for our diagnostics can often also be used to design and build your Invisalign trays or other appliances;
  • These resulting plastic models do not break and do not distort as old models did.
• More accurate impressions leads to better fitting orthodontic appliances;
• Less waste as no impression materials are used, reduced storage and shipping burdens, and minimal clean up;
• Virtual set-ups allow you to see your treatment outcome before proceeding with treatment;
• More comfortable and convenient process.

It is more comfortable and accurate, and our patients are loving it. The technology is impressive – a progressive step forward for orthodontic dentistry. This is part of our ongoing commitment to offer our patients a progressive, wellness-based and patient-centered orthodontic treatment experience.