I Use That: “... patients feel like they are in the right place.”

Dr. Ron Kaminer, of Smiles By Design in Hewlett, N.Y., discusses the TRIOS 3.

Over the years, intraoral scanning has continued to develop and improve with the additions of more capabilities, such as improved software and hardware and the ability to handle a range of indications and provide digital impressions. Can you explain how you think 3Shape has taken on a role in developing these types of innovations?
I think if you look across the board at all of the scanners on the market, 3Shape has paved the way for laboratories for years and now paves the way in the dental market. Now, on the dental side, it is the leader in image quality. Its products allow the dentist to see exactly what the laboratory is going to see. Using 3Shape Communicate and tools such as Team Viewer, we can consult and plan and discuss what we need to do.

One of the biggest issues a laboratory has is that the quality of standard impressions is just not good enough. Many laboratories receive a lot of substandard impressions. I think when a dentist sees something on a screen instead of in a standard impression, it makes it so both the dentist and lab technician can see the same thing. When I speak to people about scanning, believe it or not, their impression improves. There’s a certain mental impact a digital impression has that a regular impression doesn’t.

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The clarity of the image on the screen is critical to the dentist. So you know you can receive a crown or restoration from the laboratory that is going to fit perfectly.
I also love that I can take high-definition pictures so I can show them to my staff or attach to the lab order. Finally, there are a lot of features we can discuss-shade matching by simply pressing a button is one of them. We can get an exact shade to the restoration that we are looking for.

Can you briefly explain how 3Shape TRIOS® has enhanced intraoral scanning in the office?
I think number one is the speed of the scanner. It’s the fastest on the market. And one of the biggest questions for dentists on the learning curve is, “How quick can I scan?” While accuracy across the board is good, TRIOS® is just outstanding, especially when compared to traditional impressions. It also is forgiving. We place the camera over the teeth, and it puts those images together.

It sounds like a minute detail, but the rapidity of the scan, regardless of hand movement, is extremely critical. While that may only be 10 or 15 seconds, that small amount of time may allow blood or saliva to get into your scan. It’s important to note how fast the TRIOS® recovers. It’s so quick in its functionality that it minimizes any distortions in the image.

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What improvements in the 3Shape TRIOS® equipment have you seen over the years and found to be most valuable on a day-to-day basis and why?
3Shape’s new camera, TRIOS® 3, is much smaller, which allows easier access to the back of the mouth.

It has incorporated implant-planning software so a dentist can take a scan of any edentulous area and run it through the 3Shape software, taking dentistry to the next level.
One of the advantages of the 3Shape software is that it’s easy to learn and allows for flexibility. For instance, I scan a crown. I look at the image, and, if it’s not clear, I can erase just the area I don’t like. I don’t have to rescan the entire preparation. If I miss a contact, I can just go back and get to that area.

The ability of TRIOS® to be incorporated into a dental practice either in a handheld scanner attached to a PC or in a cart on wheels allows the dentist versatility depending on practice style and size.

So, for instance, if someone is in a larger practice, he or she might want the TRIOS® on a pod for maximum mobility to move room to room whereas the cart option could appeal to the smaller practice.

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How has intraoral scanning impacted patient perception, and has that led to any impact upon patient care?
I think many patients hate the “goo” involved in impression taking. They just don’t like impression material. They gag. It’s messy. It sticks to facial hair. A scanned impression eliminates all of that.

The TRIOS® is tech-savvy. When patients have a perception that something is technologically advanced, they feel like they are in the right place. It makes their dental experience smoother and better.

TRIOS® 3-all-in-one solution
TRIOS® 3 is a three-in-one digital impression solution featuring an intraoral scanner, integrated intraoral camera and automated shade measurement combined in one device. TRIOS® 3 is available in a pen grip design and handle grip version-both with autoclavable tips. Choose the configuration that suits the way you work-Cart, Pod or Chair Integration.

For even more information, view this video from 3Shape on the TRIOS 3: