Buy a Custom Night Guard with an iTero Scan (No Impression Kit Needed)
Skip the impression kit
If your dentist or orthodontist already has an iTero scan of your teeth, there's a good chance you don't need to start over with an at-home impression.
At Sentinel, we can make custom night guards and several of our other custom dental appliances directly from compatible digital scan files. Your dental office provides the scan, you upload the files to us, and our lab takes it from there.
What exactly is an iTero scan?
An iTero scanner is an intraoral scanner used by dental and orthodontic offices to create a three-dimensional digital record of the teeth and surrounding anatomy.
Instead of placing impression material around the teeth, the provider moves a handheld scanner through the mouth. The resulting digital model can be used in workflows for orthodontics, retainers, restorative dentistry and other custom dental appliances.
If you've had Invisalign treatment, orthodontic treatment, a digital retainer scan or another procedure involving an intraoral scanner, your dental office may already have a scan that can be exported for us to review.
Not sure whether you had an iTero scan? Ask your dental office whether they have a recent digital intraoral scan of your teeth and whether they can export it as an STL or PLY file.
How to get your scan files from your dental office
You don't need to understand dental software to request the files. Tell your dentist or orthodontist that you're ordering a custom dental appliance from an outside lab and would like a copy of your digital scan in an exportable format.
For most orders, we want the available digital records for:
- Upper arch
- Lower arch
- Bite scan or bite registration, if available
Your dental office may be able to provide the files directly to you or send them to Sentinel on your behalf.
Patients generally have rights under HIPAA to access copies of health information maintained by their healthcare providers. The exact way a dental office exports or transfers digital scan files can depend on its software and workflow. You can read more about the HIPAA right of access from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
Which iTero file types can Sentinel use?
The important distinction is between the scan inside the dental office's software and the file that can actually be transferred to our lab.
| File type | Sentinel compatibility |
|---|---|
| STL | Accepted |
| PLY | Accepted |
| OBJ | Contact us for review |
| Proprietary scanner files | May require export to a compatible format |
If your office isn't sure what to send, don't worry. Ask what export formats are available, or have the office contact us. We'd rather look at the files before fabrication than have you unnecessarily repeat a scan or take an impression.
Why use your existing scan instead of taking another impression?
The biggest advantage is simply that the dental anatomy has already been captured.
If your existing scan is current and gives our lab everything we need, there is no reason to duplicate that step with impression putty and a return shipment.
You skip the at-home impression
No mixing putty, seating an impression tray or wondering whether you captured the back molars clearly enough. For people who dislike dental impressions or have a sensitive gag reflex, this can make the ordering process considerably easier.
You remove shipping from the impression process
With a traditional mail-order workflow, we send the impression kit to you, you take the impression, and the completed impression comes back to our lab. A usable digital scan lets us bypass those steps and move to file review.
Our lab starts with the scan captured by your dental provider
Professional intraoral scans avoid some of the variables we see with physical impressions, such as movement while the material sets, distortion or incomplete capture of the back teeth.
That does not mean every digital scan is automatically usable. We still review the file before fabrication to make sure the relevant anatomy has been captured clearly.
You save $20 on your Sentinel order
Because we don't need to send an impression kit when an acceptable digital scan is used, Sentinel currently offers $20 off qualifying digital-scan orders.
If you're comparing the economics of different options, our guide to why custom night guards cost what they do explains more about the fabrication process behind a professionally made appliance.
How to order a Sentinel night guard with your iTero scan
Once you have access to your digital files, the process is straightforward.
- Choose your custom night guard. Start with the Sentinel night guard collection and select the material and design that best fits your needs.
- Choose the digital-scan option. During the ordering process, indicate that you already have a digital dental scan rather than requesting an impression kit.
- Complete your order. Your order will be connected with the digital-file workflow.
- Upload your scan files. Follow the secure upload instructions and submit the requested STL or PLY files.
- We review the scan. A member of our team checks the files before fabrication. If something is missing or could affect the final fit, we'll contact you before we make the appliance.
What happens after you upload? Once the scan is approved, the digital anatomy becomes part of the manufacturing workflow in our St. Petersburg, Florida lab. If you'd like to see what happens next, take a look behind the scenes at how we make a custom night guard .
What can Sentinel make from a digital dental scan?
Digital files aren't limited to one style of night guard. Depending on the scan and the appliance being ordered, we can use compatible digital records for many of the custom products made in our lab.
- Comfort Night Guard
- Hard Night Guard
- Hybrid Night Guard
- No-Show Day Guard
- Clear Retainers
- Custom Whitening Trays
- Tongue & Cheek Guards
If you're deciding between guard materials, our Complete Guide to Custom Night Guards explains the differences between soft, hard, hybrid and daytime options.
Questions we hear about iTero scans
Can I use a scan that was taken for Invisalign?
Potentially, yes. If your orthodontic office can provide the digital scan in a compatible format and the scan still represents your current dental anatomy, send the files to us for review.
Do I need another dental appointment?
Not necessarily. If your dental office already has a current, sufficiently detailed scan and can provide the files, we may be able to use it without another impression or scan appointment.
How old can my iTero scan be?
There isn't one age cutoff that determines whether a scan is usable. What matters is whether the file still accurately represents your teeth today.
If you've had orthodontic movement, crowns, implants, extractions, substantial fillings or other changes since the scan was taken, tell us before we use the file. We may recommend a current scan or new impression.
What if my dentist won't give me the scan file?
Ask whether the office can export the scan as an STL or PLY file or send the digital files directly to Sentinel. Dental offices and scanner platforms can have different workflows for exporting and transferring digital records.
Are digital scans better than home impressions?
They offer a different workflow. A professionally captured intraoral scan removes several variables associated with taking a physical impression at home, including movement during setting and distortion of the impression material.
But the scan still has to capture the anatomy needed for the appliance. That's why we review digital files before fabrication rather than assuming every scan is automatically suitable.
Can I reuse the same scan when I need another guard?
Often, yes, provided your dental anatomy hasn't changed and the file remains suitable for the appliance being made. If you've had dental work or tooth movement since the original scan, a new record may be necessary.
Already have the scan?
You may be able to skip the impression kit entirely.
If you've already had your teeth professionally scanned, you don't necessarily need to repeat the process at home. Get the digital files from your dental office, choose your Sentinel appliance, and send the scan to our lab for review.
When the scan is suitable for fabrication, you can skip the impression kit and currently save $20 on your digital-scan order.