The scan is done and the crown is being made, so what about the weeks in between? For anyone travelling from Puslinch, learn what a digital impression starts, how to care for a temporary while you wait and when to call instead of waiting.
Most attention goes to the appointment itself, yet much of the experience happens after it. An impression records the shape and position of the teeth and nearby tissue so that a restoration, appliance or plan can be designed and made. When it is captured with an optical scanner, it becomes a digital surface model that can move on to the next stage while you carry on with daily life, often with a temporary in place.
None of that treats the tooth on its own. The scan is a way of gathering information, and in suitable cases it replaces a tray of impression material. Whether it applies depends on the area to be recorded, the proposed work and the detail required. It also does not mean the finished piece will be ready immediately or need no adjustment when it arrives.
Ask how your record will be taken, what arrangements are available and what the wait is likely to look like. Mention a strong gag reflex, a jaw that does not open far or an earlier impression you found hard. Our team can explain the steps and the in-between period without assuming every case runs the same way.
An impression is the first link in a chain that ends with your finished work. Ask which surfaces need recording and what happens to the model once it leaves the chair.
Crowns and many other restorations, along with certain appliances, are produced from a record of the shaped tooth, the teeth flanking it and how your jaws close. Ask what yours needs and roughly how the making stage works, so the scan has a clear purpose and the wait has a clear end.
If trays have made you gag or feel uneasy, explain what happened. Scanning may be an option where it suits the work, although the wand still moves around the teeth and some discomfort remains possible.
A tooth that chips, a lost temporary or a filling replaced elsewhere can affect whether the existing scan still fits the plan. Tell the team promptly. The dentist decides whether the record still holds what the work needs.
An optical record captures outer shape only. Dental X-rays and CBCT examinations serve different purposes, and a scan cannot stand in for imaging needed to assess what lies under the visible surface.
During the visit, the model appears as it is captured, so the team can usually spot an incomplete area and rescan it before accepting the record. That reduces the chance of discovering a gap only after the file has moved on. Once accepted, it enters the clinical and laboratory workflow that designs and produces your work. A record good enough to build from is the point.
For some patients, skipping a tray of material makes the day easier; for others the difference is small, and scanning time depends on what has to be captured. Before you begin, agree on pauses, opening and the most comfortable position.
Patient information: UCLH — digital impressions in dental care
Where the system displays it, the team can show you the model and explain why neighbouring or opposing teeth appear in it. That can make the plan easier to follow. The model aids planning and does not diagnose anything.
A suitable record may be shared through the appropriate professional workflow so the piece can be designed and made. Ask who does that work and how long it typically takes. The scan by itself does not set a delivery date.
The model must hold every detail the planned work relies on. Rescanning an area, or using a different method, during the first visit helps avoid problems discovered later when the piece is tried in.
The appointment depends on the treatment involved. Ask whether you are booked for records only or whether the tooth will also be prepared and a temporary placed, since that shapes the weeks that follow.
The dentist explains the reason for the impression and whether a scan is appropriate and offered in your case. Ask about alternatives, fees and roughly how long the making stage takes. Mention comfort concerns before starting.
The teeth must be dry and reachable for the scanner. Depending on the procedure, gum tissue around a prepared tooth may be managed so its edges show clearly, which matters for how the crown will seal.
A handheld scanner travels over the relevant teeth while the model forms. The opposite jaw and how your bite closes may be recorded too. Follow the positioning cues, and signal for a break when needed.
After the team confirms the record is suitable, or repeats parts of it, you should know your fitting date, how to look after the temporary and what problems warrant a call before then.
The scan itself usually needs no recovery. A prepared tooth, freezing that is wearing off or a newly placed temporary may each come with their own instructions for the hours and weeks ahead.
Follow the dentist’s advice about foods to avoid and how to floss around the temporary. If it loosens, cracks, comes off or becomes painful, call the clinic. A finished scan of the final crown does not mean a broken temporary can simply be left.
A chipped tooth, work redone at another office or a bite that feels different should be mentioned before the fitting. The record may need to be reviewed. New pain or swelling needs assessing rather than putting off until the crown is ready.
When the finished work arrives, it is tried in and checked for how it seats, how your teeth meet and how comfortable it feels, with adjustments where needed. A digital process does not replace that step or any later follow-up.
Most questions here are about the in-between weeks, though the planned work and recording method are fair game too. Clear answers link each step to the finished piece.
Call our Bronte Street practice to discuss the crown, bridge or appliance you need and how the impression would be taken. We can explain the records involved, what the period before fitting usually involves and the arrangements available. Ask anything about comfort, timing and temporaries.
Scanning depends on your treatment and on what is available, so please confirm. The scanner images shown here are illustrations, not clinic equipment.
