It is a hand-held device used to create and transmit digital images from the oral cavity to a screen. The light from the scanner is spread on the desired objects, such as the complete dental arch, and then a 3D model processed by the scanner software is displayed in real time on the monitor. This device provides accurate details of the hard and soft tissues. It presents the oral area through high quality images. The intraoral scanner consists of a manual scanning camera, a computer and software.
The way to work with the scanner is that dentists first place the intraoral scanner head in the patient's mouth and slowly move it over the surface of the tooth. Scanning takes only a minute or two, and the dentist can view and edit images of the teeth and soft tissue of the mouth. Then the data is transferred to the laboratory to make any device needed by the patient.
Advantages of intraoral scanner
The advent of intraoral scanners coincided with the development of CAD/CAM technology and brought many benefits to dentists:
1-Saving consumables
Using an intraoral scanner saves the consumption of materials such as plaster, molding materials, etc.
2- Increasing the speed of operation and accuracy in diagnosis and treatment
3- The possibility of saving and retrieving
4- The possibility of processing and making a 3D model
The data obtained from scanning in STL format, which can be transferred to laboratory software. The data can be completed and processed with CAD/CAM programs and used for various purposes such as implants, fabrication of restoration, abutments, crowns and bridges.
Intraoral scanners are a suitable alternative to molding and the patient's breathing is no longer blocked due to molding and there is no risk of aspiration.