The impression is the first thing that happens at almost every orthodontic practice, and for decades it was the part people dreaded: a tray of setting putty held in the mouth, the urge to gag, and a redo if it slipped. Here, it is a scan. A small handheld wand passes over your teeth and a three-dimensional model builds on the screen beside you as it goes. You breathe and swallow normally throughout, and if a spot needs recapturing we rescan that spot in a few seconds.
We use the iTero scanner for it, for children as well as adults.
What the scan is for
The model is not just a record; it is the working drawing for the rest of your treatment.
- Diagnosis. A precise picture of your bite on day one, viewable from any angle, that we look at together on screen.
- Invisalign planning. iTero and Invisalign are made by the same company, so the scan from your consultation goes straight into designing the trays — no second appointment for records.
- Tracking. Scans taken months apart can be laid over one another to show exactly how far each tooth has moved.
- Retainers and appliances. Retainers made from the digital model fit closely, and if one is lost the file is still here to make another.
Why it is better than putty
Comfort is the obvious part. The less obvious part is accuracy: a putty impression can distort as it sets, as it comes out, and in the days it spends travelling to a laboratory. A digital file does none of that. And because you can see your own teeth in three dimensions during the appointment, the conversation about what treatment will do becomes much easier to follow — for a ten-year-old as much as for a parent.
For what the appointment is like minute by minute, read Digital scans instead of goopy impressions.
Ready for a first visit? Request a call back or call (212) 966-9628.