Digital Scanning and Design
3Shape
3Shape is a digital dentistry technology company founded in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2000. It specialises in intraoral scanners and dental design software. Its best known product line is the TRIOS family of intraoral scanners, introduced in 2011 and able to scan without powder. Today 3Shape scanners and software such as Dental System and Implant Studio are used in more than 100 countries.
Use at the clinic
3Shape TRIOS scanners are used to take digital impressions. For crowns, veneers, implant-supported restorations and smile design, your mouth is scanned with a small camera instead of impression putty. The reason this method is chosen in the clinic is that the impression is more comfortable for you and the scan reaches the dental lab instantly, in full detail.
Strengths
No putty, more comfort
There is no tray of impression material in your mouth, so no gagging sensation. The scan is taken with a pen-sized camera and nothing presses on your teeth.
Detailed scans in true colour
TRIOS captures your teeth in their real colours. You can look at the scan on screen with your dentist and discuss the treatment plan with the image in front of you.
Instant link to the lab
Your digital impression is sent to the lab straight away. Problems like moulds damaged in transit or repeat impression visits are largely avoided.
A broad software ecosystem
The same scan can be used for implant planning, smile design and restoration design. Software such as Implant Studio lets your treatment be planned digitally from start to finish.
Points to consider
A premium-segment system
3Shape scanners sit in the premium segment and are a significant investment for a clinic, so not every practice offers them.
A conventional impression is sometimes still needed
Where a margin sits deep below the gumline, or where bleeding or saliva cannot be controlled, your dentist may choose to back up the scan with a conventional impression.
The scanner does not decide the result on its own
TRIOS is an impression and planning tool. The outcome of your treatment still depends on your dentist's planning and the work of the dental lab.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does an intraoral scan hurt?
- No. Nothing presses on or cuts into your teeth. The camera is simply moved around inside your mouth, and for most patients the scan takes only a few minutes.
- Is there any radiation in the scan?
- No. A TRIOS scanner is not an X-ray machine; it captures your teeth using light, so there is no ionising radiation involved.
- How is a digital impression different from a conventional one?
- A conventional impression means holding a tray of setting putty in your mouth. With a digital impression your teeth are scanned with a camera instead: there is no gagging feeling, and the image reaches the lab instantly.
Let's find the right system for you
The right brand and system for you becomes clear after a clinical assessment. Reach out to our team with any questions.