Last year, Cavanaugh & Nondorf Orthodontics welcomed the iTero digital scanner to its facility. iTero makes determining the structure of patients’ mouths easier and more effective. For many, impressions, the previous method of obtaining this information, were uncomfortable and made them gag. Those with a sensitive gag reflex will be happy to know that they can avoid discomfort by choosing iTero.
“We just seat the patient in the chair, and there’s a little wand that goes in the mouth, which is sort of like a camera, that scans the teeth,” said co-owner and orthodontist Robert Cavanaugh. “We have to get the angles around the teeth to make sure it’s 3-D. We do an upper arch scan, a lower arch scan, and a biting scan. The biting scan shows us how their teeth relate to each other, top and bottom.”
“That’s another cool feature on it,” said co-owner and orthodontist Matthew Nondorf. “When we scan the bite, the iTero software can actually tell you exactly which teeth are hitting and give you an idea of how hard they’re hitting.”
Nondorf said that this feature is helpful to use with adults who have a grinding issue. It helps them see if they are wearing down their teeth through the years so they can better address the issue if necessary.
Both Cavanaugh and Nondorf say that the Outcome Simulator is one of their favorite features on iTero. It allows them to scan teeth and email that scan to Invisalign right away.
“We’re able to work on the treatment plan within a couple hours, where before we were waiting maybe seven to ten days,” Cavanaugh said. “We had to take our molds and mail them to Invisalign so they could scan them in. It’s saving a week or two in getting people their Invisalign aligners.”
The iTero scanner combined with their 3-D Xray equips Cavanaugh & Nondorf Orthodontics with the latest technology and leads to the most efficient and well-rounded results. Not only does the iTero scanner help Cavanaugh and Nondorf provide the best treatment plan, but it also helps patients understand the treatment process.
“It makes it easier to explain things to patients and show them their teeth,” Cavanaugh said. “Sometimes it’s hard to explain the dental terminology, but when they see it, it makes it a lot easier for them to understand what’s going on with their mouths.”
Nondorf believes that getting the patients involved in the process and helping them have a positive experience is very important.
“We’re all about patient experience here,” Nondorf said. “We want our patients to have an extremely pleasant experience and to leave as happy raving fans about our practice. This has taken us to the next level with patient experience.”
To learn more about Cavanaugh & Nondorf Orthodontics, visit http://www.cnorthodontics.com/.
