Reviewed by Dr. Adel Elbaz, DDS, general dentist · Last reviewed
See What Your Dentist Sees
It’s hard to judge a treatment recommendation when you can’t see the problem. A crack, a worn filling or tartar under the gum line is easy for us to spot with a mirror, but you can’t see it yourself.
At Lunar Smile Dentistry we use Primescan, a high-resolution intraoral scanner, to capture detailed colour images and 3D models of your teeth and gums. We put them on a screen next to your chair, so you see exactly what we see, and we can explain your options with the picture in front of us.
What intraoral imaging helps us show you
- Cracks in teeth and old fillings that may need a crown
- Worn, leaking or broken fillings, and decay around their edges
- Tartar and plaque in places that are hard to reach when brushing
- Gum recession and inflamed gums, signs of gum disease
- Wear from grinding, a reason to consider a night guard
- Changes over time, by comparing today’s scan with an earlier one
What is Primescan?
Primescan is an intraoral scanner: a small handheld wand that captures thousands of images per second and stitches them into a precise, full-colour 3D model of your mouth. We use it in two ways:
- To show and explain. You can see your teeth from any angle, zoomed in, on screen.
- To replace impressions. The same scan becomes a digital impression for crowns, bridges, implants, Invisalign, night guards and sports guards, with no impression paste or trays.
Primescan works with CEREC, which lets us design and mill same-day crowns in our office. Scans can also be shared securely with dental labs, which speeds up treatment that’s made outside the office.
Why it matters for you
- Understand your diagnosis. Seeing a crack or a broken filling for yourself makes it much easier to decide what to do about it.
- Make informed choices. We can show you more than one option on the model, such as a filling or a crown, and explain the trade-offs.
- No surprises. You know why each step of treatment is recommended before it begins.
- Better records. Scans give us a detailed baseline to compare at future visits.
- Easier insurance approvals. Clear images can help support a pre-authorization when your plan asks for one.
What it’s like
Nothing to it: we move the small wand over your teeth for a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on how much we’re looking at. It doesn’t hurt, doesn’t need freezing and doesn’t trigger a gag reflex for most people. The images appear on the screen right away.
Intraoral images and x-rays
The two work together. Intraoral images show the outside of your teeth and gums in true colour and detail. Digital x-rays show what’s inside and below: decay between teeth, roots and bone. Many diagnoses use both.
Your privacy
Your images are part of your dental record and are stored securely, like the rest of your health information. We only share them, for example with a lab, a specialist or your insurer, when it’s needed for your care, in line with Ontario privacy law.
Cost
When a scan is used for a crown, aligners or a guard, it’s part of that treatment. We always tell you the cost of your visit and any treatment before we start.
Book a check-up
Want a clear look at what’s going on with your teeth? Book online or call 226-884-2573. We’re open six days a week, with evening appointments until 9 pm on weekdays.