Intraoral scanners feature a wand, which the dental professional moves around a patient’s mouth. In the latest versions, the wand captures thousands of frames per second which are pieced together to create a three-dimensional visualization of the patient’s mouth. The wands on iTero intraoral scanners are smaller than early intraoral scanners, allowing them to scan molars in the back of the mouth which were traditionally difficult to reach. Dental professionals using small wands also aren’t limited by how wide their patients can open their mouths. The small wands are also less likely to make patients gag than older forms of scanning technology.

Intraoral scanners also have screens which display the digital dental images as they’re captured in real time. The screens show whether the scan is good or not before it’s saved and submitted to the lab. This feature can be a real time-saver for dental professionals who, in the past, could receive word from the lab two or three weeks later that their scans were inadequate. By providing immediate feedback, intraoral scanners can save dental professionals and patients time and frustration.

Unlike many intraoral scanners, patients don’t need to cover their teeth in titanium dioxide powder before an iTero intraoral scan. This benefit further improves the scanning process for dental patients.