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Digital impressions replace the tray-and-putty approach most patients remember from the past. Instead of sitting through a conventional impression with bulky materials, a quick, non-invasive scan captures the exact shape of your teeth and surrounding tissues. For many patients this translates to a more comfortable visit, especially for those with sensitive gag reflexes or anxiety about traditional impression materials.
Beyond comfort, digital scanning puts more control in the hands of your dental team. The scan produces an immediate, high-resolution 3D model that can be reviewed on-screen with you, so clinicians can verify fit and margins before any laboratory work begins. This collaborative review helps ensure restorative and cosmetic plans align with patient expectations from the outset.
At the office of David M. Goldberg, DDS, we view digital impressions as part of a modern, patient-focused practice. The technology supports clearer communication, reduces repeat appointments caused by inaccurate molds, and helps make each step of treatment—from diagnosis through restoration—more predictable and efficient.
Intraoral scanners use a compact wand that the dentist or hygienist moves around the teeth and soft tissues. Using optical and light-based imaging, the device captures thousands of data points per second, stitching them together into a continuous three-dimensional model. The result is a precise digital replica of your mouth that reflects subtle anatomy and fine margins critical for high-quality restorations.
The scanning process is quick and typically completed in a single appointment. Because the scanner creates a digital file rather than a physical impression, operators can immediately assess the capture for completeness and make targeted rescans if needed. This immediate feedback loop helps minimize delays and improves the accuracy of the final restoration.
Scanned files are compatible with a range of digital dental workflows, from computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems to specialized labs that accept digital data. That interoperability is one reason many dentists prefer scanning technology: it integrates cleanly into both in-office and laboratory-driven treatment plans.
Accuracy matters when fabricating crowns, bridges, veneers, and implant restorations. Digital impressions reduce common sources of error associated with traditional materials—such as distortion during setting, shipping, or model pouring. A precise digital model improves the fit of prosthetics, which can mean fewer adjustments, better occlusion, and longer-lasting results.
For implant dentistry, digital scans are especially valuable because they capture implant positions and surrounding soft tissue relationships with high precision. That information helps the laboratory or in-office milling system produce restorations that seat correctly and meet the aesthetic demands of patients seeking natural-looking results.
Digital workflows also support consistent communication between the dentist and the dental laboratory. Files can include color mapping, bite registrations, and notes that clarify the clinician’s intent—reducing ambiguity and helping technicians fabricate restorations that match clinical expectations closely.
One of the strongest practical benefits of digital impressions is reduced turnaround time. Digital files transmit electronically to the lab or to an in-office milling unit, eliminating shipping delays and the need to pour physical models. For cases that can be completed in-house, same-day crowns and ceramic restorations are possible because the design and fabrication steps are unified in a single digital workflow.
Even when laboratory fabrication is required, electronic transfer speeds up the process and lowers the chance of damage or contamination that can occur with physical impressions. Faster communication between clinician and technician means treatment timelines are clearer and more dependable for patients planning restorative care.
The streamlined workflow also helps clinicians manage chair time more effectively. With fewer remakes and adjustments, appointments can be coordinated to minimize multiple visits while still maintaining the high standard of care patients expect.
A typical digital impression visit begins with a short clinical evaluation and preparation of the teeth involved in the restoration. The clinician will then use the intraoral scanner to record a series of passes over the teeth and surrounding tissues. The device captures the data in real time, and you may be invited to view the emerging 3D image on a monitor as the scan progresses.
The scanning process is generally quick and gentle. Most patients note that it feels less intrusive than conventional impressions, and there’s no impression material to taste or hold in the mouth. If the clinician identifies any missed areas, focused rescans are performed immediately, avoiding the need for a return visit solely to retake an impression.
After the scan is complete, the digital file is reviewed and either sent electronically to the laboratory or routed into the practice’s CAD/CAM system for same-day fabrication when appropriate. Your dental team will explain the next steps and provide an estimated timeline for delivery of the finished restoration, ensuring you understand how the digital impression fits into your overall treatment plan.
In summary, digital impressions offer a comfortable, precise, and efficient way to capture the anatomy of your mouth and support high-quality restorative and cosmetic dentistry. By reducing the need for physical molds and speeding communication with laboratories or in-office milling systems, digital scanning enhances the patient experience and clinical outcomes. If you’d like to learn more about how this technology is used in our practice or whether a digital impression is right for your care, please contact us for more information.
Digital impressions use an intraoral scanner to capture a high-resolution three-dimensional model of a patient’s teeth and surrounding soft tissues. Instead of filling a tray with impression material and waiting for it to set, the scanner records thousands of data points per second and stitches them into a continuous virtual model. That digital file can be reviewed immediately on-screen and used directly in design and fabrication workflows.
Traditional impressions are vulnerable to distortion during setting, handling, and model pouring, which can introduce inaccuracies in prosthetic fit. Digital capture minimizes those error sources by producing a stable electronic record that does not degrade in transit. The outcome is a more predictable foundation for crowns, bridges, veneers, and other restorations.
An intraoral scanner consists of a compact wand that the clinician moves around the prepared teeth and adjacent tissues to record surface geometry. The device relies on optical and light-based imaging to collect sequential frames that are aligned in real time, creating a complete 3D representation. Software algorithms process the incoming data to generate a detailed model that highlights margins, occlusal relationships, and soft-tissue contours.
Because the scan is visual and immediate, the clinician can assess for missing areas and perform targeted rescans while the patient is still in the chair. The scanner also captures bite registrations and can incorporate color data when needed for shade communication. This digital workflow supports precise planning and efficient transfer to labs or in-office milling systems.
Yes. Digital impressions eliminate the need for bulky impression trays and unset materials that many patients find uncomfortable or gag-inducing. The scanning wand is small and non-invasive, and most patients experience a quicker, less intrusive capture compared with traditional techniques.
The immediate visual feedback also reduces the chance of repeat appointments caused by inadequate impressions, which further improves the patient experience. For individuals with anxiety about impression material or strong gag reflexes, scanning is often a preferable alternative that helps make visits more tolerable.
Digital impressions reduce common sources of error associated with physical impressions, such as material distortion, dehydration, and inaccuracies during model fabrication. The high-resolution digital model preserves fine anatomic detail and margin definition, which are critical for precise prosthetic seating and long-term performance. Accurate captures help technicians and CAD/CAM systems produce restorations with better fit and occlusion.
When implant positions, soft tissue contours, and bite relations are recorded digitally, the resulting restorations tend to require fewer intraoral adjustments. That precision supports better esthetic outcomes and can reduce chair time during insertion. Overall, digital accuracy contributes to predictable restorative success.
Digital impressions are well suited to implant dentistry because they can precisely document implant positions, adjacent soft tissue contours, and occlusal relationships. Scanned data can be exported as digital files for the laboratory or used directly with in-office design and milling systems that produce implant-supported restorations or custom prosthetic components. This interoperability enhances planning accuracy for abutments and final restorations.
For suitable cases, the digital workflow enables same-day crowns and ceramic restorations by combining scanning, CAD design, and in-office milling into a single visit. Eliminating shipping and physical model fabrication shortens turnaround and streamlines treatment. Clinicians can determine case eligibility based on clinical complexity and restorative goals.
A typical digital impression appointment begins with a short clinical evaluation and any necessary tooth preparation. The scanning process itself usually takes only a few minutes per arch, but total chair time can vary depending on the number of teeth involved and the complexity of the case. Patients are often invited to view the emerging 3D image on a monitor during the scan, which helps with communication and expectations.
Because scans provide immediate feedback, clinicians can perform focused rescans if any areas need refinement, avoiding separate follow-up visits solely for impression retakes. After capture, the digital file is reviewed and then sent electronically to a lab or routed into the practice’s CAD/CAM system for fabrication. Your dental team will explain the next steps and an estimated timeline for the finished restoration.
Yes. Modern intraoral scanners produce file formats that are broadly compatible with laboratory software and CAD/CAM systems, which facilitates seamless collaboration between the clinician and the technician. Commonly used formats can include STL, OBJ, and other open or proprietary standards accepted by most digital labs. This compatibility allows labs to receive complete, accurate data without needing physical models in many cases.
Because digital files can include color mapping, bite registrations, and clinician notes, they improve communication of restorative intent and shade requirements. Electronic transfer reduces the risk of damage or contamination associated with shipped impressions and speeds the overall fabrication process. That interoperability is a major reason many practices integrate scanning into their digital workflows.
Clinicians review the digital model immediately after capture to confirm that margins, occlusal contacts, and interproximal areas are clearly defined. If the software highlights gaps or areas of low detail, targeted rescans are performed on the spot to fill in missing data. Visual inspection on the monitor allows the team to verify soft-tissue contours and ensure that the bite registration aligns correctly with the arch scans.
Some systems include built-in validation tools that detect common scanning errors or recommend additional passes for improved detail. The practice may also follow internal protocols for scanning sequence, moisture control, and retraction to optimize capture quality. These checks help minimize remakes and support reliable restorative outcomes.
Digital impressions typically shorten the time from capture to final restoration by removing physical shipping and model fabrication steps. Electronic transfer to a laboratory or direct integration with an in-office milling unit accelerates design and production phases, which can reduce the number of separate visits for patients. Faster communication between clinician and technician also helps clarify details early in the process, preventing delays caused by misunderstandings.
While the overall timeline still depends on case complexity and lab turnaround, many practices find that digital workflows make scheduling more predictable and efficient. Fewer remakes and more accurate initial captures translate into less chair time spent on adjustments at delivery. Patients benefit from clearer expectations and often faster completion of their restorative treatment.
At the office of David M. Goldberg, DDS we integrate digital scanning into restorative and cosmetic workflows to improve patient comfort, communication, and clinical precision. Our team uses advanced intraoral scanners and digital protocols to capture detailed anatomy and verify scans in real time, which supports more predictable restorative outcomes. We aim to combine modern technology with a patient-centered approach to make procedures efficient and well explained.
Choosing a practice that understands digital workflows helps ensure that your treatment benefits from streamlined lab communication and precise fabrication. Our focus is on achieving reliable fit, esthetics, and function while minimizing unnecessary appointments and adjustments. If you have specific questions about how scanning applies to your treatment, our team in Bellerose will be glad to explain the process and next steps.
