Intraoral scanners are devices for capturing direct optical impressions in dentistry. Optical impressions reduce patient discomfort; they are time-efficient and simplify clinical procedures for the clinician, eliminating plaster models and allowing better communication with the dental technician and with patients.
They are sufficiently accurate for capturing impressions for fabricating a whole series of prosthetic restorations (inlays/onlays, copings and frameworks, single crowns and fixed partial dentures) on both natural teeth and implants; in addition, they can be used for smile design, and to fabricate posts and cores, removable partial prostheses and obturators. They can be integrated in implant dentistry for guided surgery and in orthodontics for fabricating aligners and custom-made devices.
