Expand What’s Possible with the Restorative Capabilities of the iTero Intraoral Scanner

For almost 25 years, Align Technology has been transforming smiles and changing lives, always at the forefront of innovation in digital orthodontics and dentistry. Today, Align helps doctors transform their practices using digital tools and technology to deliver great treatment experiences to over 11.6 million people worldwide.

The iTero intraoral scanner is the gateway to the Align Digital Platform, a unique combination of software, systems, and services designed to provide a seamless experience and workflow that integrates and connects all users—doctors, laboratories, and patients.

The iTero intraoral scanner and imaging systems make restorative cases more efficient and flexible across digital laboratory and chairside workflows. More doctors are increasing their use of iTero scanners and seeing the benefit of digital technology, including the patient and practice benefits of adoption of the Invisalign system.

Inside Dental Technology spoke to Yuval Shaked, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the iTero Scanner and Services Business for Align Technology, about how the iTero scanner portfolio and services offer seamless digitalization of all restorative workflows, from single crown to edentulous, leading to greater efficiency, accuracy, and patient and laboratory communication.

Inside Dental Technology (IDT): What recent scanner innovation has Align brought to the market?

Yuval Shaked: Recently, Align Technology introduced hardware and software innovations that deliver more value to Invisalign and iTero-trained doctors and iTero-enabled laboratories.

The iTero Element Plus Series expands Align’s portfolio of iTero Element scanners and imaging systems to include new solutions that serve a broader range of the dental market. The new iTero Element Plus Series builds on the success of the award-winning iTero Element family and offers all of the existing orthodontic and restorative digital capabilities dentists have come to rely on—plus faster processing time and advanced visualization capabilities for a seamless scanning experience in a new sleek, ergonomically-designed package.

Additionally, new iTero Workflow 2.0 software features were developed to simplify and streamline a dentist’s daily routine and increase practice efficiency. From a faster, all-in-one scan with enhanced visualization capabilities to improved patient communication, including the ability to capture, annotate, and then share Invisalign simulations or restorative treatment plans digitally, these new features provide dentists with the ability to help patients better understand their oral health conditions and their treatment options.

IDT: How is Align supporting dental general practitioners (GPs) move to digital?

Shaked: Our roots are in restorative dentistry and we have a long history of innovation with 20-plus years of experience and over 10 million restorations.¹

We bring forward a unique restorative value proposition for GPs with the iTero Element portfolio, restorative workflows, exocad products, and strategic relationships with partners and laboratories. In fact, more than 10,000 dental laboratories worldwide are iTero scanner enabled.¹

Today, we have a unique value proposition for GPs. Through further integration with exocad, we will continue to streamline the workflows for GPs and laboratories. Only the iTero Element 5D and 5D Plus imaging systems can provide 3D impressions and NIRI images.

A recent study found that the NIRI technology of the iTero Element 5D imaging system was 66% more sensitive than bite-wing X-ray for posterior proximal lesions.^2,3 This provides GPs and their patients great value by aiding them in the detection and monitoring of interproximal caries lesions above the gingiva without using harmful radiation.⁴

With MyiTero.com for laboratories, we provide an intuitive portal with easy connectivity to dentists using iTero scanners. Through MyiTero, dentists and laboratories can exchange cases in real-time to ensure accurate restorations and a more efficient workflow.

IDT: How are you driving further integration with exocad?

Shaked: As we drive further integration with exocad, we will continue to streamline the workflows for GPs and laboratories. For example, exocad’s recent DentalCAD 3.0 Galway release offers improved interface, functionality, speed, and automation. It allows laboratories to connect their MyiTero account to automatically import scans and prescription data received by iTero-enabled dentists.

IDT: As you look to the future, where is the innovation focused?

Shaked: Innovation is in our DNA, and we are committed to continued innovation across three pillars. One is data acquisition: We are going to continue improving the scanning experience for patients and dentists through AI. A second is communication and decision support tools: We know that visualization capabilities are a key enabler for dentists to monitor and communicate with patients and drive increased treatment acceptance. The third is seamless workflows for both the Invisalign system and restorative workflows: We will continue to transform smiles and change lives through integration with the Invisalign system and exocad software to further unlock the potential of the Align Digital Platform.

References

1. Data on file at Align Technology, as of June 30, 2021

2. Metzger Z, Colson DG, Bown P, Weihard T, Baresel I, Nolting T. Reflected near-infrared light versus bite-wing radiography for the detection of proximal caries: A multicenter prospective clinical study conducted in private practices. J Dent. 2021 Oct 24:103861.

3. Data on file at Align Technology, as of February 10, 2021

4. Data on file at Align Technology, as of December 4, 2018