Digital Impressioning Helps Me Be a Better Dentist

Dr. Simon Kold, from Herning Implant Center, has worked with the 3Shape TRIOS scanner since 2011, and for him, there can be no going back to traditional impression taking. Dr. Kold believes that his preparations and final results have improved significantly since he started working with TRIOS. The technology has taken his business to new heights. “Intraoral scanning helps me give patients better dental treatment.” says Dr. Kold.

What made you move from traditional impression taking to digital impressioning? Our clinic has been working with guided implant surgery since 2005. With the emergence of new technologies, we saw potential combining digital impressions with CBCT scans to ensure accurate and esthetic implant treatment.

What made TRIOS stand out for you? With other intraoral scanners, I needed to keep my hand completely steady while scanning. TRIOS lets you move more naturally. You can stop and start scanning again, and even rescan selected areas and merge them into the complete impression picture.

What about digital impressions in terms of accuracy? Using the TRIOS system, I successfully completed an upper-jaw reconstruction using 14 new teeth – all based on digital impressions. Scanning and the workflow with the laboratory functioned smoothly, and during seating, all 14 teeth slid in without any adjustments.

Was it easy for your clinic to adapt to the new technology? One thing that surprised me was how excited everybody was about working with the new technology. Installing and using the digital impression system has made us better and is still moving our business and careers in new directions. The technology catches the attention of patients, as well. I think they like the idea of being treated in a top-notch, modern facility with the best equipment.

"Start now so you are ahead of the game. It is a significant investment, but one that saves time, costs, and most significantly, helps develop the clinic's image, dental skills, and business success."

What was the learning curve like?

The more you work with it, the better you get. The first day we received the system, we scanned six patients in a row with 3Shape experts giving instructions. Our assistants scan as often as the dentist(s) because the TRIOS system is so intuitive.

As an experienced user of intraoral scanning, what do you see as the key advantages? Precision is significantly better. Other advantages are the ability to do things during impression taking rather than as extra steps. For example, shade measurements and taking HD photos.

Does digital impressioning make you a better dentist? The complete digital workflow that TRIOS enables makes us a better provider of implant cases, which represent our core business. The digital impression merged with CBCT scans are used to virtually plan implant positions, model the restoration, and design low-cost surgical guides that can be output digitally on a 3D printer.

Does the technology give patients any costs benefits? One great option with TRIOS is we can make model-free crowns in full zirconium and e.max. Skipping the physical model makes the workflow faster and cheaper, giving us an alternative to conventional crown treatment. This accommodates patients who would have chosen a composite reparation to save money.

Do you have any advice for dentists still considering digital technologies? Start now so you are ahead of the game. It is a significant investment, but one that saves time, costs, and most significantly, helps develop the clinic’s image, dental skills, and business success.

This article was originally published in Sidekick Magazine.