Australasian Dentist Issue 93

CATEGORY 6 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST N WS F or many Australians, visiting the dentist can be filled with mixed emotions. However, research shows that patients value dentists who make them aware of existing preventive options, educate them about how to maintain a healthy mouth and teeth, and support and reassure them frequently during visits 1 . The first integrated digital dental imaging system goes beyond what the eye can see Today, iTero® Element 5D imaging with near-infrared imaging (NIRI) technology 2 is not only helping dentists in the detection and monitoring of interproximal caries, but it is also driving better patient communication by allowing patients to see what dentists can see when it comes to their dental health – withinminutes 3 during their visit. The state-of-the-art NIRI technology allows dentists to see inside the tooth. It works by emitting infrared light into the surface of the tooth to create a 3D scan of a patient’s teeth in real-time – and without using radiation.The technology is especially useful for detecting interproximal caries above the gingiva that are difficult to see with the naked eye or x-rays, or impossible to detect by probing 4 . NIRI can distinguish enamel and dentin structure for prosthetic design and support dentists’ diagnostic capabilities for preventative and restorative oral care. Victoria-based dentist Dr Jack Milgate says, “The real power of technology like iTero Element 5D imaging is it helps us improve the process of diagnosis, treatment planning, and communication with our patients. With NIRI technology, we are now able to see beyond the outer structure which helps me more easily diagnose and recommend a treatment plan – in certain instances diagnosing interproximal caries more clearly than from conventional radiography some cases seeing decay before we can see it on an x-ray”. “Now, patients can also see what we see in an expanded, high-definition model – on a screen, during their visit. We can highlight areas of concern or make treatment plan recommendations, all in a matter of minutes. When patients see their dental health on the screen or changes in their dental health over time, it helps them realise they need to take care of the problem. In my opinion, the gold standard of comprehensive examination now includes intraoral scanning”, he added. Streamline your workflows. Streamlining workflows for dentists and staff is essential for increasing practice efficiencies and growing your practice. The iTero Element 5D imaging with NIRI helps to streamline practice workflow through enabling your clinical team to create an entire diagnostic suite while the patient is in the chair. It enables you to create diagnostic scans, automatically save scan data to the cloud, and create unlimited workflows either in-house through CAD/CAM systems which allow unlimited exporting to dental laboratories or any workflow of your choice. Whether you’re making the leap to a digital workflow or looking to upgrade, the iTero Element 5D imaging system is a great investment to help you provide the best possible care to your patients 2 . Built for ease of use, it’s the first hybrid dental imaging system that simultaneously records 3D, intraoral colour, and NIRI images – eliminating the need for multiple devices and repetitive sterilisation. And with iTero Time Lapse technology, you keep your patients engaged by helping them to visualise diagnostic, restorative, or orthodontic comparisons. Expand what’s possible for your dental practice. An iTero scanner in your practice allows practitioners to provide a digital treatment solution and a patient experience that is more likely to keep patients coming back, recommend you to their friends and family, and ultimately help your practice to grow. Practitioners can work efficiently and confidently with www.myiTero.com , which makes iTero scans available within minutes 3 and allows for export to the CAD software of your choice. iTero scanners are a perfect choice for any workflow, restorative or orthodontic. u Schedule an iTero Element 5D Plus demonstration or learn more at iTero.com Reach out to the team at Align Technology for any further information – AU 1800 468 472 NZ 0800 542 123 or check out the website – itero.com This article is sponsored by Invisalign Australia Pty Limited. Dr Jack Milgate is an independent speaker for Invisalign Australia Pty Limited in respect of iTero intraoral scanners. No payment was provided to Dr Jack Milgate for this article and the opinions expressed are his own. References 1 Sbaraini, A., Carter, S.M., Evans, R.W. et al. Experiences of dental care: what do patients value? BMC Health Serv Res 12, 177 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-12-177. 2 iTero NIRI technology is only available on certain models of iTero scanners being the iTero Element 5D and iTero Element 5D Plus imaging systems. Access to iTero NIRI Technology is dependent upon payment of a monthly or annual service fee. Such fee will depend on the Service Plan purchased. Without a Service Plan, certain services, software updates and/or features may be unavailable, disabled or may only be available upon payment of an additional fee. Please reach out to an Align Technology Practice Development Manager or iTero Customer Support for more information relating to the current additional fees and the different Service Plans that may be available as these will change from time to time. iTero Element 5D Plus Lite software configuration excludes iTero NIRI interproximal caries detection aid which can be purchased for an additional fee. 3 Based on 10,000 scans, mean transfer time, defined, as the time between the practice sending the iTero scan and the dental laboratory receiving it, is 4.6min. May vary based on internet connection. Data on file at Align Technology, as of February 12, 2020. 4 Nolting T, Poirier F, Giblin T. A fully integrated diagnostic process through advances in scanning technology. Dental Learning. March 2020. https://dentallearning.net/ fully-integrated-diagnostic-process-through- advances-scanning-technology 5 Data on file at Align Technology as of January 1, 2019. Over 3.2 million restorative scans performed worldwide on the iTero Element, iTero Element 2, iTero Element Flex, HD2.05, HD2.1, HD2.9 and HDU scanners Take your dental practice into the future