Our doctors and team are always looking for ways to make our patients’ experiences as positive and comfortable as possible. Part of this endeavor involves implementing cutting-edge technology to facilitate exceptional treatment combined with extraordinary patient comfort and care. We are excited to have implemented digital, intraoral scanners here at Puyallup Valley Dental Care.

While traditional impressions often trigger a gag reflex, digital impressions eliminate this discomfort by eradicating the use of large metal trays and gooey material, as well as long wait times while the material sets up. With intraoral scanners, this tiresome method of taking impressions is a relic of the past.

The digital scanner is a sleek, wand-like device, with two tiny, high-definition video cameras contained in the tip. The practitioner waves the scanner over the teeth, and it captures two video streams which are then processed by a powerful computer to generate a digital 3D model. Without ever touching you, the scanner is able to capture a 360-degree image of your entire mouth in mere moments. You can observe the images being taken in real-time on the screen in front of you.

This real-time imaging allows our doctors to see every detail — from the roof of your mouth to behind and between your back molars — in granular detail. And as our doctors review the image, they can zoom in, rotate, and manipulate the image to derive a detailed knowledge of your oral health. They, in turn, are able to show you the images, what they see and what it means so you are able to learn about your own health.

The digital scanner, along with our 3D printer, helps speed the process of providing you access to the appliances your treatment requires, like athletic mouth guards, night guards, and other oral devices. The practitioner no longer has to wait for the plaster to harden, pour a mold, package the mold, and ship it to the laboratory to create your appliance as we are able to fabricate many of those appliances under one roof. Similarly, our doctors are able to speed up the process of communication with other practitioners involved in your care by providing the images with just a click of the mouse.

Have questions? Give us a call at (253) 841-3173. We’d love to speak with you!