We have a big announcement we're so excited to share: Dr. Messina's office is the first general dentistry practice in Colorado to receive the most current, most innovative intraoral scanner on the market from Align! This month we're introducing our new iTero scanner during routine hygiene visits with Rachel and Dr. Messina, and we already love the ways this digital dentistry technology is helping us provide the most cutting edge care to our patient family.
At Michelle N. Messina DDS, we pride ourselves on staying up-to-date with the newest technologies so that we can provide our patients with the modern, efficient, evidence-based care they deserve. So when Dr. Messina had the opportunity to incorporate the fastest, highest quality scan for each of her patients, she and the team were keen to learn and grow so this discovery tool could help everyone who comes into the practice.
So what is an iTero? The iTero scanner is an intraoral scanner that takes photos and videos at thousands of frames per second inside the mouth to produce lifelike images of your teeth within minutes. Part of the reason the iTero scanner is such a helpful tool is its capacity to take thousands of images faster, more easily, and very accurately. We can use our new scanner during health checks at your routine hygiene visit, during smile makeover consultations, for clear aligner therapy and Invisalign workups, and even to take digital impressions during our restorative work flow for treatments like crowns and implants.
The iTero scanner is fully digital, and that means our patients usually get to skip taking physical impressions. No more goopy impression material! And within minutes we have a highly accurate digital model to enhance understanding and facilitate productive discussions so that our patients are part of the discovery process of getting to know their own mouth better. And scans are kept in a HIPAA-compliant, encrypted cloud-based manner that allows us to compare your scans year after year to directly track changes to your teeth and gums!
iTero scans in our office are quick and painless, using single-use wand covers in keeping with our extensive whole-office cleaning protocols. After a quick scan of the teeth, the digital elements of the scanner compile the scans into images that show your entire mouth from front to back, top to bottom. We use these images to check patient occlusion (bite), to track tooth wear over the span of months/years, to see cavities, to evaluate the condition of previous restoration -- we even use it to show you what you could look like with straight teeth after clear aligner therapy!
We are excited to bring this technology to our community and to use it for the good of our patient family. At their next recare appointment, each of our patients is eligible for a complimentary iTero scan. For those who have not yet joined our patient family but are interested in the enhanced understanding of the mouth this technology can provide, call Carly to get scheduled for your iTero scan and see what it can do for you!
We write a blog post every month to keep our patients and our community updated on important dental topics, so be sure to check back here often! And don't forget: we love your questions! We welcome discussion of these blog topics or anything you're curious about. Our patient family is the best part of our practice, and we are grateful for you!