How Accurate Are Digital Scans Compared to Traditional Dental Impressions?
Accuracy is foundational to high-level dentistry. At Hardin Advanced Dentistry, clinical precision is guided by Dr. Tara Hardin, an Accredited Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a distinction held by a select group of dentists nationwide. This advanced training, combined with nearly two decades of clinical experience and ongoing postgraduate education, allows our team to thoughtfully evaluate and implement technologies that improve patient outcomes. Digital scanning is one such advancement, enhancing how impressions are captured, treatments are planned, and results are delivered. Here’s what to know when comparing digital scans to traditional dental impressions.
What Are Traditional Dental Impressions?
Traditional dental impressions use trays filled with pliable impression material to capture the shape of the teeth and surrounding tissues. While long considered the standard, this method is sensitive to variables such as patient movement, saliva control, timing, and material distortion. Even minor shifts during removal or temperature changes can affect accuracy.
Once taken, physical impressions must be poured, shipped, or processed before the material degrades. Each step introduces opportunities for minor discrepancies, which can influence the fit of restorations or orthodontic appliances and sometimes lead to additional adjustments or remakes.
How Digital Scans Capture More Precise Data
Digital impressions rely on advanced intraoral scanners to collect thousands of data points in real time, creating a highly detailed three-dimensional model of the teeth and gums. At Hardin Advanced Dentistry, we use the iTero Element 5D scanner, one of the most advanced systems available in modern dentistry.
Rather than relying on a single physical mold, digital scanning captures continuous visual data from multiple angles to create a highly accurate, complete model of the teeth and surrounding tissues. Tooth contours, bite alignment, and soft tissue anatomy are recorded in real time, allowing refinements to be made immediately before treatment progresses. Because this data is instantly available, it can be used right away for restoration planning, including the design of same-day crowns and other in-office restorations when appropriate.
Accuracy Compared: Digital vs. Traditional Impressions
From a clinical perspective, digital scans consistently match or exceed the accuracy of traditional impressions. Their advantage lies in consistency and control. Digital workflows eliminate many of the variables associated with physical materials, producing a stable, reusable model that maintains its accuracy over time.
Several factors contribute to this precision:
- Reduced risk of distortion from impression materials, temperature changes, or patient movement
- Immediate confirmation of scan accuracy, with the ability to refine details in real time
- Consistent precision for crowns, veneers, implants, and Invisalign planning
- Seamless integration with advanced digital design and treatment-planning systems
For procedures that require exact measurements, this level of accuracy directly influences comfort, function, aesthetics, and long-term success.
Patient Comfort and Scan Stability
Accuracy is not only a function of technology, but also of patient comfort. Traditional impression trays can trigger gag reflexes or anxiety, making it difficult for patients to remain still during the process. Digital scanning removes trays and impression material entirely, using a small handheld scanner instead.
A more comfortable experience allows scans to be completed efficiently and precisely. This is particularly beneficial for patients with a sensitive gag reflex, dental anxiety, or complex cosmetic needs where even small inaccuracies can affect final results.
Why Accuracy Matters for Your Results
Precise impressions lead to restorations that fit properly, function comfortably, and look natural. Digital scans allow our team to plan treatment with greater clarity, refine details before fabrication, and communicate seamlessly with in-office systems like CEREC or trusted dental laboratories.
That precision translates into meaningful patient benefits:
- Better-fitting restorations with fewer adjustments
- More predictable cosmetic and functional outcomes
- Fewer remakes or repeat appointments
- A more efficient overall treatment timeline
The result is dentistry that is both highly precise and thoughtfully personalized.
Take the Next Step Toward More Precise Dental Care
When used by an experienced team, digital scans deliver greater precision and predictability. At Hardin Advanced Dentistry, Dr. Hardin uses advanced digital scanning to support better-fitting restorations, improved comfort, and reliable results. If you are considering cosmetic or restorative dental care, we invite you to schedule a consultation today and experience the benefits of modern digital dentistry designed around your smile.
