For many of us, we have memories of going to the dentist or orthodontist and having impressions or molds made of our teeth…generally a not so pleasant experience! Well, just like the rest of the world, dentistry has come a long way and many dentists have really embraced the amazing technological advancements that have occurred.
Attempts at digitizing this process began over 30 years ago, which is hard for many to believe. Initially, these impressions were difficult to record, and required a powder or other medium to capture proper detail. As time has gone by, and technology has evolved and improved, the systems have gotten better, more user friendly, and unbelievably accurate.
Now we use full color streaming digital video to capture digital models in minutes! For the dentist and his or her team, this means that instant feedback is received to ensure an accurate impression was recorded. The process is often quicker, cleaner, and more enjoyable…and also affords dental offices the ability to complete treatment more effectively and efficiently. For the patient, it means a more pleasant experience at the dentist, and no more of that “goop” getting stuck between their teeth, on their face and clothes, or causing them to gag.
So, while there are certain things that may make us want to go back to the “good old days”, I think most people would agree that they are happy to see dental impressions jump into the 21st century!