The 3D Digital Dental Record Using the Trios Intra-Oral Scanner

(In other words, the touch-less impression that gives us a computer model of your teeth)

An update on our use of the Trios Intra-Oral Scanner, by Dr. Michael Radu - October 2016

We have been so busy working with our new digital impression tool, that we haven’t had the time to write about it…

It is an absolute game changer for dentistry. I already knew how great it would be to take an impression without using the gooey stuff that everybody hates; I expected it to be well received by our patients; I knew how accurate these impressions could be. What I was truly surprised by was how many other applications I would be able to find with this technology.

crown-prep

A crown preparation, digitized

We’ve largely decided to take these 3D images on all patients, in place of the regular 2D photography. Because of the accurate color rendering we get, these 3D models are able to show everything, from cavities, to cracks, to gum problems. Even more, the images can be enlarged, rotated, and analyzed from any angles. We are even able to analyze the bite, and the way the upper and lower teeth touch each other.

crack

Left: after removing an old silver filling, 2 'cracks' can be seen Right: Upper right portion flaked off on its own after drilling to remove crack. The crack on the left was mostly removed. Crown is indicated so as to ensure no future issues with tooth.

tartar

Tartar clearly visible near red and swollen gums

At this time, we are using this incredible machine for these things:

  • A digital examination and to get the patients acquainted with their teeth and bite
  • Impression taking for crowns, bridges and implants, avoiding the bad tasting and gagging old-fashioned impression materials
  • Precise planning for implant placement by aligning 3D x-rays (a CBCT image) with the 3D pictures recorded from the Trios

stonemodel

Our next step is to order some additional software to use the images in even more creative ways. We will use it to do a 3D smile design on the computer, so we can plan any changes before we touch the teeth. We will look to create digitally designed temporary crowns. We will better analyze the bite before any orthodontic treatment is performed. The possibilities are endless.

If you haven’t seen this device and what we do with it, please come in just to see it. It is almost impossible to imagine what it is like!