Primescan at Johnson Family Dentistry

Upgrading to Primescan for “perfection”

It all started with the purchase of a Bluecam intraoral scanner in 2012, says Andrews. “I wanted to become a more efficient office and avoid multiple appointments for patients.”
 
Within six months the Omnicam came out, and Andrews upgraded. When the Primescan came out in 2019, she upgraded again. “I knew the limitations of Bluecam and Omnicam, and the promises of Primescan have totally come through. As dentists, we strive for perfection. And when technology doesn’t help, but hinders that, it becomes a frustration. And the Primescan has completely changed that.”

Andrews uses Primescan for everyday crowns and bridges, large composite fillings, occlusal guards, missing teeth for dentures or partials, orthodontic aligners, sleep appliances, brand-new dentures, and dental implants. Next, she’ll be using it to scan to create a guide for root canals and a guide in calcified canals for endodontic therapy, she says. “There really isn’t an area of my practice where it does not come in handy.”
 
The Primescan also integrates seamlessly with other Dentsply Sirona equipment. When she makes surgical guides for implant surgeries, she can mill them from her Primemill or MC XL, or print it from her 3D printer, she says. “That reduces the cost significantly.”

Leaving a lasting impression on patients

Primescan enhances the patient experience with enhanced comfort and fewer visits to her practice, which boasts more than 2,000 patients, seven operatories and 10 team members, including Andrews’ associate, who quickly adopted the technology when she came on board four years ago. “What we hear over and over again from patients is, ‘This is so impressive,’ ‘That was almost painless,’ and ‘I can’t believe you can do my crown in one visit,’” Andrews says.
 
Because of its location in Devils Lake with a population of about 10,000 people, many patients drive up to a couple of hours for appointments. “Patients are in awe when I tell them I’m going to give them a crown today. From their past experience, it’s ‘What? I don’t have to come back or wear something that doesn’t fit for two weeks?’ So, it’s really made a huge impact.”
 
One patient was almost in tears over a crown, dreading getting impressions that caused her to gag and throw up in the past. “When I told her she wasn’t going to be getting trays in her mouth, it changed to tears of joy. The Primescan camera didn’t cause any issues for her.”

Improving implant procedures

Implants are another service that is improved by Primescan. “I honestly can’t imagine planning an implant without the technology now. I feel like it’s like telling someone to drive at night without their headlights on.”
 
Between the Primescan and the Axeos 3D/2D imaging system, you can look at the area affected by the implant from every angle. There are nerves, other teeth and different anatomy that you have to pay attention to when placing an implant, she says. “It can be a nightmare if you haven’t planned those implants to be in the perfect position. But the technology allows you to be so accurate. The big thing is the predictability of the implant placement and the outcome.”
 
For patients, implants are three times faster than they were previously, she says. “Because I’m able to make a very tiny incision into the patient’s mouth to place the implant, their recovery is so simple and painless that patients are going back to work the minute they leave my office.”

Receiving strong support for success

Since Andrews purchased the Bluecam scanner and all the subsequent upgrades, Patterson Dental has offered constant support, she says. “It’s technology, and just like any other technology, there are times when it doesn’t operate perfectly. Patterson is two and a half hours away from me, and they are up the same day. They don’t let me go down for more than a couple of hours.”
 
The techs and the trainers know what they are doing, and training is important if you’re going to purchase the technology, she says. “Above any other competitor, Patterson is there with their knowledge. They don’t leave you stranded with a piece of technology to hang your lab coat on.”