To make a dental impression is to create a mold of your mouth, teeth, and gums. Dental diagnostic models are used for various dental treatments and appliances, including fillings, crowns, veneers, whitening trays, retainers, mouth guards, and more. Both digital and conventional dental putty are available.

What Exactly Are Dental Impressions?

When you get your teeth, gums, or other oral structures cast, these are called dental impressions. Instead of using putty, as in traditional dental impressions, a digital imprint is taken with the help of a handheld device and some computer software.

What Is The Purpose Of A Dental Impression?

Taking a dental imprint allows a dentist to cast a replica of your mouth. These models can help your dentist see how your dental arches, teeth, and gums all work together. There are many different types of dental restorations that require dental impressions.

Dental Impressions: What Happens?

Your dentist or oral surgeon may use either conventional dental putty or a digital dental impression system to take an impression of your teeth. The methods may produce the same results but are not the same.

Typical Dental Putty

During this process, your healthcare practitioner dispenses a putty-like dental imprint material into plastic or metal trays. The trays will then be positioned over your teeth. The dental impression substance solidifies after just a minute or two. The trays (and impression material) will be taken out of your mouth when the process is complete. A dental lab will be sent your impressions. If you go there, a technician will take dental imprints of your mouth and use the stone to cast your teeth.

Take Impressions Of Your Teeth Digitally

Digital dental impressions are now widely available at many dental practices. Here, your doctor will take thousands of photographs of your teeth and gums with a portable digital wand. An image of your mouth will appear on a screen while the healthcare expert moves the rod over your teeth. The software will then take these individual photos and fuse them to form a digital 3D model of your dental arches. When taking a digital dental impression, no putty is necessary. When your dental lab is ready to work on your photos, your doctor will send them electronically. A professional will start on your case as soon as you arrive.

How Much Time Does It Take To Get A Dental Impression?

Traditional dental putty, used for taking impressions, hardens typically in three to five minutes. The entire process of getting an image made for your teeth should take no more than fifteen minutes.

Are Dental Impressions Painful?

Taking putty imprints typically doesn't hurt. Some people may experience an unpleasant gag response when exposed to them.

Conclusion

Teeth, gums, and other supporting mouth structures are cast to create dental imprints. Patients have their mouths molded in this way. You may get dental casts much like these at any dental office. In addition to being used to make diagnostic models of having a good mouth, dental restorations, treatments, trays, retainers, mouth guards, and some other dental equipment, these materials have a wide range of potential applications. Both digital and conventional dental imprints are available.