iTero Digital Impression System

Our office uses the most state-of-the-art technology available to help create the smile you want, which is why we use the iTero® digital impression system, by Align Technology. Our digital impression system replaces the uncomfortable, unpleasant-tasting, messy and sometimes inaccurate traditional putty impressions. No bulky trays or sticky putty needed!

How It Works

Using a digital scanner, we will take three-dimensional (3-D) digital images, or impressions, of your teeth and bite. These impressions will help us formulate a personalized treatment plan that meets your specific orthodontic needs and desires. We can also use them to visually show you your treatment options and help us keep you up-to-date on your treatment progress.

Benefits of Digital Impressions

After your specific treatment plan has been chosen, the digital impressions allow us to create customized bracket trays that we use to place your brackets onto your teeth, all at one time, with increased efficiency and overall effectiveness. If you choose Invisalign treatment, we will use your digital impressions to fabricate your unique set of aligners.

Digital impressions capture the precise contours of every tooth, including fine details that traditional putty molds can sometimes miss or distort. The iTero scanner uses thousands of individual data points to build a highly detailed 3-D model of your teeth and bite, which means your treatment plan — whether braces or Invisalign — is based on the most reliable representation of your unique dental anatomy. This level of precision translates directly into better-fitting appliances and more predictable treatment outcomes.

The scanning process typically takes just a few minutes, significantly reducing the time you spend in the treatment chair compared to traditional impressions. There’s no waiting for putty to set, no risk of needing to redo a mold that didn’t come out right, and no back-and-forth adjustments. The digital files are also available instantly, which means we can begin planning your treatment sooner and keep your overall timeline moving forward without unnecessary delays.

If you’ve ever had a traditional putty impression taken, you know it can be an unpleasant experience — especially for patients with a sensitive gag reflex. The iTero scanner is a compact handheld wand that glides over your teeth without ever requiring you to bite down into a tray of material. There’s no mess, no strange taste, and no uncomfortable waiting with a mouthful of putty. Most patients find the experience quick, easy, and completely stress-free.

Your digital impressions give us the foundation to design a treatment plan that’s built around your specific orthodontic needs and personal goals. For braces patients, we use the digital model to create custom bracket placement trays that allow us to position every bracket with intention and precision in a single appointment. For Invisalign patients, the impressions are used to fabricate a series of aligners shaped specifically for your teeth at each stage of treatment. Nothing is generic — every element is tailored to you.

One of the most exciting advantages of digital impressions is the ability to see your results before treatment even begins. Using your 3-D scan, we can walk you through a simulation of how your teeth will move over the course of treatment, giving you a clear picture of what to expect at each stage. This makes it easier to understand your options, feel confident in your treatment plan, and stay motivated as you watch your smile progress toward the final result.

The iTero scanner represents the leading edge of orthodontic technology, using advanced 3-D video capture to produce real-time, high-resolution digital models. By investing in this technology, our practice is able to offer a level of diagnostic detail and treatment planning that simply wasn’t possible with older methods. It’s one of many ways we work to ensure you’re receiving care that reflects the best of what modern orthodontics has to offer.