In her presentation, Dr Soto demonstrated how using a fully digital workflow can inform treatment and can be used as a patient communication tool to respond to patients’ demands for answers.

“The digital workflow really empowers us to see the end before we begin,” she stressed, pointing to the Align digital workflow in which clinicians can diagnose and plan treatments ranging from alignment to complex orthodontic and restorative cases. “In this workflow, we can add restorations, we can foresee where we want to move teeth and we have a blueprint for where things belong in the future. If we want to do orthodontic or restorative dentistry seamlessly, we need to start by considering the outcome—what it will look like in the face—and then communicate that to the patient.”

Dr Soto explained how following a digital workflow which includes the use of the iTero intra-oral scanner, Invisalign Smile Architect software and exocad CAD/CAM software enables users to see where they want teeth to move to and, importantly, to understand how restorations could be completed in the most minimally invasive way possible.

“When we look at the space distribution and we know where we are going, everything starts being much more predictable, much more seamless. It allows me to see what my limitations are, where my restorations could go—I get to foresee where I want everything.”

According to Dr Soto, a digital workflow allows patients to see video simulations of what their future smile will look like, which, in turn, helps them to understand why they may need alignment as well as restorative treatment.

“I use my iTero scanner for everything—a health scan for a new patient, repairing a single crown, a full mouth reconstruction or surgeries. We also have ways of monitoring patients using Invisalign Virtual Care.

“So, I guess a good question would be, if all of this is available to you, why would you not use it? I’m on this full-on mission to change the dental experience, and it’s not just to benefit the patient but also to maximise our potential and encourage our teams to enjoy the full meaning of what we do—to fully embrace the possibilities.”

The perfect communication protocol

Dr Luis Ilzarbe is equally emphatic about the benefits of a digital workflow. “Digital dentistry for me means being more efficient and more predictable in my work. I am more consistent in my planning, and of course, it helps me to communicate with my team and my patients, which, in the end, is totally beneficial for our patients,” he said.

The first step to a digital workflow, according to Dr Ilzarbe, is the iTero scanner, which he uses for all his restorative work, helping him—and his patients—to understand why treatment is needed, and why it is needed in a minimally invasive way. He also shares all the scans and relevant information with his laboratory and dental technician in order to decide how each restoration should be approached.

“That’s why I love digital dentistry and working with my intra-oral scanner—because it’s easy and more efficient. It allows me to explain and communicate effectively with my patients, to share observations and explain why we might need to move teeth to achieve the end goal. It also helps in discussing alternative treatment options and helps to switch from a subjective approach to an objective one. It’s the perfect communication protocol.”

The full webinar, titled “How to achieve exceptional clinical outcomes with a seamless ortho-restorative approach”, can be watched on demand here. More webinars of the Digital Excellence Series can be found here and more information on the Align Digital Workflow is available at www.iTero.com.

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