Dental Sales Flyer - June 2021 (Social Media Version) - 60

Flip the Switch, Digitize,
and Increase Patient Acceptance
Written By
Thomas Bilski, DDS
Private practice, Independence, Ohio
Co-Director, Midwest Implant Institute, Columbus, Ohio

Intraoral scanners and 3D printers are certainly here to stay within dentistry and are a new raceway for communicating with
our dental laboratories. Many dentists have been using intraoral scanners for milling crowns in-office; capturing images for
bite guards, clear aligner orthodontic appliances, and whitening trays; and in some practices full-arch imaging for removable
prosthetics.1 The ease of use for intraoral scanners provides a savings in chair time, cost of impression materials, and
increased patient acceptance for dental therapies.2 The purpose of this article is to help readers (1) understand the benefits of
incorporating intraoral scanners and 3D printing, (2) understand digital workflow and how to educate dental patients regarding
its impact on treatment, and (3) understand the key benefits to digital workflow adoption.

Digitize and Adopt
In the past 10 years, digital dentistry has advanced and allowed
dentists and laboratories to take full advantage of the technologies.
The advances in cloud-based workflow such as intraoral scanning, 3D
printing, and much more enables us to deliver superior quality products
to our patients swiftly and accurately.3-12 This means more consistency
along with the increased quality. Doctor-to-laboratory communication
can be in real time, minimizing errors by validating that the scanned
files are indeed accurate. This saves the clinician in cost value of time
and financial resources-reduction in remakes and materials, and the
tax impact over time.1,2 Systems for intraoral scanning and 3D printing
of study models enhance process control and productivity.2 These
intuitive platforms and tools along with training have made it easier to
integrate new best protocols that can deliver fabulous rewards for the
efforts and labors from both dental staff and laboratory.

Ease of Integration and Other Digital Advantages
Introducing new technology into a dental practice can be daunting.
When presented with this challenge one must consider the benefits of
switching from " old school " hard plastic impression trays with putty
or clay molds to a new technique using a sophisticated camera. New
technologies create an opportunity for staff learning within the dental
office, and while most of us say we like to learn new technologies,
when we are actually presented with this opportunity, we feel the
stomachache beginning to churn.
However, the process need not be painful, and often is quite the
opposite.13 For example, while training with the CEREC intraoral
scanner, the trainee gets real-time feedback regarding what he or she
is trying to capture with the scan. The handheld camera is lightweight
and easily held and positioned without fatiguing the hand of the
clinician or staff. Once the scan has been completed, the monitor
reveals the details of the hard and soft tissues within seconds. The
software allows for zoom-in and rotational movements for closer
scrutiny. Again, this immediate feedback allows the clinician to add
more detail to the scan if there is a need for additional attention
without having to begin rescanning. If necessary, the scan can be

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interrupted, the camera repositioned, and the scan then completed.
An analog impression, contrariwise, must be completed in one attempt,
and if there are inaccuracies, a second impression must be made from
scratch to remedy the situation-costing the clinician both time
and materials.2
While on the subject of time-savings, the ability to scan dual arches
and bite registration creates a highly detailed and accurate virtual
simulation of the oral environment within a few minutes, after which
the digital file can be sent directly to the dental laboratory at the
touch of a button, resulting in a considerable time savings within a
busy schedule. No more mixing of impression materials, waiting for
the materials to set in the patient's mouth, pouring stone casts, and
cleanup thereafter. Scanning also eliminates the risk of inaccuracies
due to dental impression material shrinkage during pickup and delivery
times from the dental office to the laboratory, as well as the lag time
to physically move the impression between locations.
Adding digital scanning to your practice can also be a practice builder.
Patient anxiety for both adult and pediatric patients may be virtually
(pun intended) eliminated through the reduction of fear of choking or
gagging from the impression material and the discomfort of waiting for
the material to set. Treatment planning and case acceptance frequently
increase once the patient understands that scanning is quicker, more
accurate, and more comfortable than analog impressions. Further, once
the scan appointment is completed, patients impressed with the ease
of the appointment are likely to tell their friends and families about
the technology and experience provided by their dentist.
Finally, a crucial-particularly in the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic practice
environment-benefit to digitizing dental therapy is an increase in
infection control. At the time of this article, our nation is under Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to help minimize
contact with aerosols and saliva. Intraoral scanning reduces those
exposures compared to analog impressions as digital files and scans
keep all involved free of contamination by eliminating contact or
touchpoints. Dental practices can thus safeguard both their employees
and their laboratory partners without sacrificing quality.
To order, visit:

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www.henryscheindental.com
www.henryscheindental.com

To order, visit:
http://www.henryscheindental.com
Dental Sales Flyer - June 2021 (Social Media Version)

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