CATEGORY AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST27 Digital work ows are now part of everyday life in many dental practices. e types of e ciencies that come with a shift to digital dentistry include the ability to shift from intraoral scan to nal restoration as part of a seamless work ow. Within Align Technology’s ecosystem, the iTero Lumina scanner helps enable this experience for practices. e iTero™ Design Suite4 and the Align™ Digital Platform serve di erent but complementary roles within digital dentistry. e Align™ Digital Platform is Align Technology’s overarching ecosystem, connecting the full clinical work ow – from intraoral scanning and diagnostics through to treatment planning, production, and patient engagement. Within this ecosystem, the iTero™ Design Suite functions as a dedicated design tool, enabling clinicians to create 3D-printable models, bite splints, crowns/bridges, and smile mock-ups directly in-practice. Perform same-day dentistry with chairside milling integrations is work ow extends beyond 3D printing to support a complete scan–plan– manufacture pathway within a single digital environment. Doctors can capture a scan, design selected restorations chairside using the iTero™ Design Suite and then move directly to in-practice milling for fabrication, reducing reliance on external labs for selected indications. is evolution in work ow capability not only supports shorter turnaround times but also can provide practices with in-house control over certain types of treatment planning, indications, preparation designs, materials chosen, creating a more streamlined and self-contained digital work ow that re ects the growing shift toward sameday dentistry. Dr Lan Tran, Principal Dentist, Dream Dental, says, “Having control over the entire process, from scanning to manufacture, has transformed how we deliver care. It allows us to be more responsive, reduce turnaround times, and maintain an elevated level of precision.” “ is level of control also enables inhouse manufacturing for selected cases, reducing reliance on external laboratories and supporting same-day or shortturnaround dentistry where clinically appropriate”, she added. Scan. Plan. Manufacture – all with the iTero™ LUMINA SCANNER Offer a quick and comfortable experience1 for patients Milling isn’t new – but the way it connects with scanning and design has changed For practices embracing in-house manufacturing, milling remains a cornerstone of restorative dentistry. e integration of the iTero™ Design Suite with milling systems supports an e cient end-to-end work ow from design to nal restoration2. Milling is about con dence – con dence in t, in margins, and in the predictability of outcomes. Craig Davidson, Business Development Manager from DG Shape Roland Oceania region says, “What clinicians are looking for today is reliability and repeatability. When design data ows cleanly into the milling environment, you reduce variables, and that’s where consistency comes from.” “Our milling solutions at DG Shape Roland are designed to translate digital plans into physical restorations with high accuracy and material versatility. From zirconia to hybrid ceramics, clinicians can produce restorations that meet both aesthetic and functional demands,” he added. With iTero™ and its digital integration with select milling machines, the process becomes more e cient and easier to integrate into everyday practice, potentially reducing the potential for remakes and increasing productivity and delivery timelines3. Digital impressions captured with an iTero™ intraoral scanner can be seamlessly transferred into CAD software for precise restoration design. e iTero Design™ Suite serves as a bridge between scanning and CAD, enabling automated transfer of scan data, intraoral images, iTero™ NIRI (near infra-red imaging) data, and additional clinical information. is fully integrated work ow guides restorations from digital design through to nal production, including direct fabrication using milling machines. It all starts with iTero™ e iTero™ scanner is a cutting-edge digital imaging system that transforms the way dental professionals capture and visualise oral anatomy. Designed for speed, accuracy, and patient comfort, iTero scanners produce high-resolution 3D scans in seconds – eliminating the need for traditional impressions. iTero technology enables clinicians to simulate outcomes, track progress, and deliver personalised care with con dence. Whether you are enhancing restorative work ows or elevating patient consultations, iTero is the foundation of modern, data-driven dentistry. In the next edition of Australasian Dentist, part 2 reveals how 3D printing is transforming the digital work ow, giving dentists greater control and exibility. u For more information about harnessing the iTero Design Suite in your practice, contact Brendan Morrison, Align ANZ Restorative Manager at 0430 382 123, or Align’s Customer Support Team at 1800 468 472. Invisalign Australia Pty Limited wrote this article. Dr Lan Tran was not paid a fee for her involvement in this article. Her opinions are her own. iTero™ is an intra-oral scanner used to record images of teeth and oral tissue. Always follow the directions for use. References 1. e iTero Lumina intraoral scanner is designed with a thinner wand tip to enable a more comfortable patient experience. Compared to iTero Element™ 5D imaging system wand. Data on le at Align Technology, as of November 15, 2023. 2. iTero Design Suite has API integration with the following milling units in ANZ – DG Shape Roland, iMes-iCore, Amann Girrbach, VHF 3. Leven R, et al. Accuracy of Digital Impression Taking with Intraoral Scanners and Fabrication of CAD/CAM Posts and Cores in a Fully Digital Work ow. Materials (Basel). 2022 Jun 13;15(12):4199. doi: 10.3390/ma15124199. PMID: 35744261; PMCID: PMC9228234. 4. McCracken MS, et al. Impression Techniques Used for Single-Unit Crowns: Findings from the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. J Prostho-dont. 2018 Oct;27(8):722732. doi: 10.1111/jopr.12577. Epub 2017 Jan 11. PMID: 28076661; PMCID: PMC5794617. INNOVATIONS
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