The intraoral scanner is an important tool that has helped dentists all around the world take a clear,quick, and precise digital impression of the patient without compromising the health and the well-being of the patient.
Of course, with different needs of patients comes different intraoral scanner types for the dental professional to choose from, whether they are for orthodontic procedures, prosthodontic check-ups, or even just for routine diagnosis, in this article, we will be exploring the different intraoral scanner types as well as the cost of the intraoral scanner types and the method of using intrairal scanner types.
The Different Intraoral Scanner Types To Choose From
There are a myriad of intraoral scanner types to choose from that vary upon the type of system that they have integrated within them and we will be discussing all the different intraoral scanner types in detail below:-
Triangulation Laser Scanning Intraoral Scanner
The first intraoral scanner that we will be discussing is the Triangulation Laser Scanning technique which is just one variant of the many intraoral scanner types available in the market. The key features of the Triangulation Laser Scanning Intraoral Scanner is as follows:-
- It uses a laser light source and 1 or 2 cameras at known angles to scan the teeth
- Laser stripe is projected on the surface and distortions are analyzed
- Allows precise, fast scanning with good depth information
- Limited by line-of-sight views and struggles with dark surfaces
It has a higher precision and accuracy rate compared to the rest of the different intraoral scanner types and has a rapid scanning speed along with enhanced detail capture and reduced sensitivity to environmental factors. The disadvantages for using this variant of many intraoral scanner types is that is very costly to use and a learning curve is present for dental professionals to master it’s technique.
Confocal Imaging Intraoral Scanner
The second variant of the intraoral scanner types to discuss in this article is the Confocal Imaging Intraoral Scanner, which is another instrument that is helpful in advancing the progression of digital dentistry. The principle of his intraoral scanner is that it uses a highly focus beam of light to capture the image of the oral cavity. The key features of the Confocal Imaging Intraoral Scanner are as follows:-
- This variant of the intraoral scanner types employs a point laser source and an objective lens with a pinhole filter.
- It measures the intensity of reflected light at different focal depths
- It is excellent at capturing details on uneven surfaces
- The limitations of this variant of intraoral scanner types include slow scan speed and shallow depth of field.
A landmark feature of the Confocal Imaging variant of the Intraoral Scanners Types is that it seamlessly integrates with other dental technologies like CAD/CAM systems and 3D printing, which offer a comprehensive and versatile solution for digital dentistry.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Intraoral Scanner
The next variant of the many intraoral scanner types that we will be discussing now is the Optical Coherence Tomography Intraoral Scanner, and its key components include a low-coherent light source, a beam splitter, a reference mirror, and a detector. The features of this variant of the many intraoral scanner types are as follows:-
- Incorporates the use of a broadband light source and interferometry for scans
- Light is split into multiple beams to measure echoes and reflections
- Provides very detailed, high-resolution subsurface images
- The slower capture rate makes it difficult to scan full arches quickly
Like the other two variants of the intraoral scanner types discussed before, it has a high cost and has a limited penetration depth for the light to pass through while maintaining a steep learning curve for dental professionals as well.
Active Wavefront Sampling Intraoral Scanner
Lastly, we have the fourth variant of the intraoral scanner types which is the Active Wavefront Sampling Intraoral Scanner and it uses multiple light sources to find out distortions present in the oral structure and generate it as an image. The key features of this variant of the intraoral scanner types that are being discussed are as follows:-
- Incorporates the use of a broadband light source and interferometry for scans
- Light is split into multiple beams to measure echoes and reflections
- Provides very detailed, high-resolution subsurface images
- The slower capture rate makes it difficult to scan full arches quickly
This variant of the Intraoral Scanners types discussed in this article is very valuable in time-sensitive procedures and is able to capture intricate details in less amount of time. Of course, the downside to all this is that it needs continuous calibration and is potentially sensitive to ambient lighting conditions.
How Costly Are Each Intraoral Scanner Types?
The cost of the intraoral scanner type varies, and their range starts from $4500 all the way to $80,000. Since the Triangulation Laser Scanning Intraoral Scanner is the first variant to be made, it is relatively cheaper compared to the other intraoral scanner types, with the Active Wavefront Sampling Intraoral Scanner being the most expensive since it includes the most features.
So, it is a given fact that the cost of the intraoral scanner types increases as more features are added, and a $9000 – $25000 typically falls in an affordable range with all the features required for a dental professional to use.
What Type of Intraoral Scanner is Best for You?
An affordable Intraoral Scanners with the latest software updates and every single file format available for viewing is ideal for best use. If you have more restorative work that needs to be done with patients, then the Triangulation Laser Scanning Intraoral Scanner Types would work best for you.
When it comes to anything related to orthodontics, the Confocal Imaging variant of the Intraoral scanner types works best, and for Periodontological procedures, the Optical Coherence Tomography type is optimal. The Active Wavefront Sampling variant is optimal for all procedures, but it would be costly to purchase one.
The Aidite Intraoral Scanner provides an all-in-one solution that blends cost, accuracy, and adaptability, even though each type of intraoral scanner has a distinct purpose. The Aidite Intraoral Scanner operates with various dental procedures, regardless of your area of expertise— whether it’s restorative dentistry, orthodontics, or even periodontics.
- Cost-Effective and Advanced: Striking the perfect balance between adequate pricing and cutting-edge technology, Aidite’s Dental Scanners provide the best features, including multiple file formats, making it an important tool for dental professionals in their clinical settings.
- Catering For Multiple Needs: Restorative procedures, orthodontics, and even periodontal treatments can benefit from the Aidite scanner’s high-speed scanning capabilities as it guarantees accurate digital impressions in various situations.
- CAD/CAM Integration: The Aidite scanner streamlines the digital workflow and increases clinical practice efficiency by easily integrating with your current CAD/CAM software and dental practice management system.
If you’re looking for the intraoral scanner types that offer optimal performance without a hefty price tag, then the Aidite Intraoral Scanner is the perfect choice for ensuring high-quality results and a smoother experience for both dental professionals and patients.
FAQs
Q1: Can You Use An Intraoral Scanner For Just One Procedure?
Answer: Yes, you can use an Intraoral Scanner regularly, depending on the flow of patients that you have in your dental setup. It is advised to use no more than 4-5 times for maximum accuracy of the intraoral scanner, depending on the variant of the intraoral scanner types that you are using.
Q2: How Can You Clean An Intraoral Scanner?
Answer: You can clean the intraoral scanner by cleaning the tip of the intraoral scanner that you are using and you can even sterilize it by inserting the tip of the intraoral scanner in the pouch put it in the autoclave..
Q3: Are There Any Alternatives To The Intraoral Scanner?
Answer: Depending on the type of procedure that is being performed in the dental setting, there are multiple alternatives to the usage of the intraoral scanner, some of which include extraoral scanners, CBCT Scans, and Spectrophotometers.
Conclusion
Now that we have reached the end of the article, I hope that the information provided here in this article has helped you differentiate from the many intraoral scanner types as well as the cost of the intraoral scanner types and the method of using intraoral scanner types.
I would recommend going to Aidite’s page for the latest dental blog posts and new information related to intraoral scanner types and other products as well.