Digital Dental Impressions
in Richmond, TX
Say goodbye to messy putty molds. Best Dental uses iTero iTero intraoral scanning technology to capture a precise 3D digital model of your teeth in about 60 seconds — no gagging, no discomfort, no waiting for material to set.
What Are Digital Impressions?
A dental impression is a precise mold or model of your teeth used to fabricate crowns, bridges, Invisalign aligners, nightguards, implant restorations, and other custom dental appliances. Traditionally, impressions were made by filling a tray with thick putty-like material, pressing it over your teeth, and waiting several minutes for it to harden — an experience many patients found uncomfortable, messy, and nausea-inducing.
Digital impressions replace that entire process with an iTero intraoral scanner — a slim wand with a camera tip. As your dentist slowly moves the wand around your mouth, it captures thousands of images per second and assembles them into an ultra-precise 3D digital model in real time. The whole scan typically takes 2–5 minutes, with no trays, no putty, and no waiting. The digital file is then sent electronically to our dental laboratory, where your restoration is fabricated with exceptional precision.
At Best Dental in Richmond, TX, Dr. Jasmine and Dr. Sonny Naderi use iTero digital impressions across a wide range of procedures — from dental crowns to Invisalign to implant restorations. It's one of the most meaningful technology upgrades in modern dentistry, and our patients notice the difference immediately.
🔬 The Technology in Plain Language
Think of it as a 3D scanner for your teeth. The wand captures the shape, size, and position of every tooth and sends that data to a computer screen in real time. You can actually watch your 3D model build as the scan happens — a surprisingly satisfying experience that patients often find fascinating.
Digital vs. Traditional Impressions
The difference is immediate and significant — for both comfort and clinical accuracy.
Digital Impressions
Putty Impressions
Why Digital Impressions Matter to You
Every benefit comes back to the same thing: a better experience and a better result.
Far More Comfortable
No trays, no putty, no gagging. The scanner is a slim wand that never needs to be held in place — you simply breathe normally while it scans section by section.
Exceptional Accuracy
Digital scans cannot distort the way physical molds do. The result is a geometrically precise model that translates directly to better-fitting crowns, aligners, and appliances.
Faster from Scan to Result
Digital files are transmitted to the lab the same day — no physical shipping delays. Your restoration is fabricated sooner, meaning fewer days between appointments.
Fewer Remakes & Adjustments
Traditional impressions frequently require remakes due to distortion or voids. Digital scans let us catch and correct errors on screen immediately — before anything is fabricated.
See Your Teeth in 3D
Watch your 3D model appear in real time on our chairside screen. It's a unique opportunity to see your own dental anatomy clearly — patients find it genuinely interesting.
Permanent Digital Record
Your digital scan is stored securely in your file. If you ever need a replacement or modification, we have your exact dental anatomy on record — no need to repeat the scan.
How the Scan Works
The entire scanning process is quick, comfortable, and almost surprisingly simple.
Preparation
Your dentist or assistant ensures your teeth are clean and dry. A light retractor may be used to gently hold your cheeks clear of the scanning area — nothing uncomfortable, just a clear path for the camera.
The Scan Begins
The slim iTero scanner wand is guided slowly along your teeth, capturing thousands of images per second. You'll see your 3D model building in real time on the screen beside you. The wand never needs to be held still — it scans continuously as it moves.
Bite Registration
For most restorations, your bite relationship — how upper and lower teeth come together — is also captured digitally. You'll bite down lightly while the scanner records the contact pattern between arches. This ensures your restoration fits precisely with your natural bite.
Real-Time Review
Dr. Naderi reviews the completed 3D model on screen immediately. If any area needs to be rescanned — something that's easy to spot digitally — it takes seconds to rescan just that section. No starting over, no sending a flawed mold to the lab.
Transmitted to the Lab
The finalized digital file is sent electronically to our dental laboratory — the same day, often within minutes. The lab uses the precise 3D data to fabricate your restoration. No shipping time, no risk of physical damage in transit.
Procedures That Use Digital Impressions
Any procedure that previously required traditional putty impressions now benefits from our digital scanner.
Dental Crowns
A precise scan of the prepared tooth and surrounding teeth ensures your crown fits perfectly with no rocking, gaps, or bite interference.
Dental Bridges
Multi-unit bridges require exceptional dimensional accuracy across a span of teeth — exactly where digital impressions outperform traditional molds most dramatically.
Invisalign Clear Aligners
Invisalign uses your digital scan to plan your entire treatment progression before fabricating the aligner series — no putty required at any stage.
Implant Restorations
The implant crown that sits atop your implant is fabricated from a digital scan — critical for precise fit at the implant interface and correct bite integration.
Custom Nightguards
Your custom nightguard is fabricated from a digital scan of your teeth — ensuring a fit precise enough to wear comfortably every single night.
Veneers & Cosmetic Cases
Cosmetic restorations demand precise tooth reduction and perfect margins. Digital impressions give our ceramist the exact data needed to create natural-looking, well-fitting veneers.
Inlays & Onlays
These conservative restorations require exceptional fit at the preparation margins. Digital impressions capture the fine detail needed for seamless inlay and onlay fabrication.
Orthodontic Treatment Planning
3D digital models of your teeth are used to plan orthodontic treatment, assess spacing, and create study models — without a single tray of impression material.
A Game-Changer for Sensitive Gag Reflexes
If you've ever gagged during a traditional dental impression, you're far from alone — it's one of the most common complaints in dentistry. Traditional impression trays are bulky, extend to the back of the mouth, and require holding a throat-approaching volume of thick material in place for several minutes. For patients with a sensitive gag reflex, this can be genuinely distressing — sometimes enough that they avoid or delay dental treatment entirely.
Digital impressions eliminate this problem almost entirely. The iTero scanner is a slim wand that scans one small area at a time, never requiring anything to be held at the back of the mouth or pressed against the soft palate. You breathe normally throughout. The procedure is broken into small sequential segments — front teeth, then each side, then the bite — so at no point is there a feeling of fullness or blockage in the throat.
Tips for Patients with Gag Reflexes
- Tell us before your appointment — knowing in advance lets us use technique adjustments and positioning that further reduce any sensitivity
- Breathe through your nose — focused nasal breathing during the scan helps suppress the gag reflex significantly
- Distraction helps — watch the 3D model building on the screen; concentrating on something external keeps attention away from the mouth
- Salt on the tongue — a small amount of salt on the tongue tip is a clinically validated technique for suppressing gag reflex during dental procedures
- Sedation is always available — for patients with extreme dental anxiety, nitrous oxide or oral sedation can be combined with digital scanning for a fully relaxed experience
💬 From Our Patients
"I've always dreaded impressions — I used to have to stop and restart multiple times because I couldn't stop gagging. The scanner was completely different. It was over before I even realized what was happening." — common feedback from patients experiencing digital impressions for the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways
Experience the Difference at Best Dental
Modern dentistry should be comfortable and precise. Schedule your appointment at Best Dental in Richmond, TX and experience digital impressions for yourself — no putty, no gagging, better results.
