Once your teeth are scanned, the file goes on to the people who design and make the work. For those coming from Rockwood, here is what that hand-off involves, which questions to ask about it and why the dentist still checks everything at the end.
It is easy to picture the scanner as the whole story, but it is the beginning of a chain. The impression records the shape and arrangement of teeth and nearby tissues. That record is what technicians and clinicians use to design and produce a restoration or appliance, or to build a treatment plan. A digital impression does this with an optical scanner, creating a virtual model that can be passed along.
Being digital does not change what the step is: information gathering, not treatment. For suitable cases it can replace a tray of material, though the region being recorded, the design planned and the precision needed all influence whether it is used. It does not guarantee every case can be scanned or that a finished piece will fit without adjustment.
Ask how your impression will be taken, who will use it and what arrangements apply to your care. Tell us about a strong gag reflex, restricted opening or an earlier impression you found difficult. The team can explain suitability and the path the record takes, without assuming that one method or workflow suits every person.
Every scan should answer to a particular piece of work. Ask which surfaces the people designing it will need, and how the model will be used in planning and manufacture.
Those making a crown or other suitable restoration typically need the prepared tooth, adjacent teeth and the bite. Certain appliances need an accurate full-arch model. Ask what the design stage requires for your case, rather than having a scan taken without a defined purpose.
If trays of material have been hard to tolerate, describe why. Where suitable, scanning may be worth raising. It still involves a wand moving around the teeth, so it cannot be promised to remove every difficulty.
New dental work, tooth movement or a revised treatment can make an earlier model the wrong starting point for design. Let the team know. A file is reused only when it still carries what the current work needs.
The model sent on for design shows outer surfaces only. It is separate from X-rays or CBCT imaging, which examine structures inside and beneath the teeth, and it cannot replace them.
A digital model can be checked as it builds, so gaps or unclear sections can often be rescanned during your visit instead of being discovered later by the person designing the piece. Once the clinician accepts it, the file enters the clinical and laboratory workflow for your treatment. A record that answers the designer’s questions is the real goal.
Avoiding a tray of material can make the appointment more comfortable for some people, though experiences differ and the length of scanning varies with the case. Talk about pauses, mouth opening and positioning before recording starts.
Patient information: UCLH — digital impressions in dental care
If the system displays it, the team can show you the model and why neighbouring teeth or the opposing jaw are included, since the designer needs them too. The model is for planning and does not diagnose anything.
A suitable file may be shared through the appropriate professional workflow so the piece can be designed and manufactured. Ask who is responsible for that stage and how questions from them are handled. The scan does not by itself set a ready date.
The model must contain everything the planned work depends on. Where information is missing, another pass or another method may be used before it leaves the clinic. That check helps the design stage go smoothly.
The visit depends on the treatment involved. Ask in advance whether it is for records alone, or whether preparing a tooth or placing a temporary is also planned.
The dentist explains why the impression is needed, how it will be used and whether a scan fits your case and is offered. Ask about limits, other approaches and fees. Raise gagging, opening or positioning needs.
The teeth being recorded must be dry and accessible. Depending on the procedure, gum tissue may be gently managed. When a tooth has been shaped for a crown, its margins need to be visible so the designer can follow them.
A handheld scanner moves over the relevant teeth as the model forms. Opposing teeth and your bite may also be captured, so the design meets them properly. Follow positioning guidance, and signal for any pause.
The team checks that the record suits its intended use before it is sent on, rescanning or switching methods if needed. Confirm the next appointment, temporary care steps and when the finished work will be fitted.
Scanning on its own seldom needs recovery. A prepared tooth, freezing or a temporary placed during the same appointment may carry separate instructions to follow.
Follow the advice you are given on chewing and cleaning around any temporary restoration. Call if it comes loose, breaks or hurts. The final piece being in design does not make a broken temporary safe to ignore.
If a tooth breaks, work is replaced elsewhere or your bite changes after the scan, the design may be based on a record that no longer matches. Tell the team. New pain or swelling should be assessed promptly, not waited out.
The finished restoration or appliance is checked in your mouth for fit, bite and comfort, and you can ask how to clean it. Adjustments may be needed. Digital design and manufacture do not replace that clinical check or later follow-up.
Ask about the planned work, the recording method and what happens once the file leaves the chair. Good answers follow the record from capture to fitting.
Get in touch with our Bronte Street practice about the restoration or appliance you need and how the impression would be taken and used. We will outline the records likely to be involved and confirm what can be arranged. Bring any questions about comfort, timing and who makes the work.
Confirm that scanning suits your treatment and is available. The scanner images here are illustrative and are not photographs of clinic equipment.
