Impression Materials

When submitting a case using physical impressions, we accept any silicone-based impression materials such as PVS, VPS, and polyether. These should be placed in disposable trays. According to our terms and conditions, certain materials and types of impressions are not accepted:

• Alginate impressions and stone models will be rejected due to their tendency to distort through drying, shrinking, or expanding, which can adversely affect the fit of the aligners.
• Mesh impression trays (sometimes referred to as "triple trays") are also unsuitable. They are often too shallow to adequately capture a 2-3 mm gingival margin, and details at the incisal edges can be compromised as teeth may impinge on the mesh. Additionally, our scanning software cannot process multiple arches simultaneously from these trays.

Reasons for these restrictions include:

• Alginate Impressions: These impressions are prone to changes due to environmental factors, leading to aligners that may be too large or too small.
• Stone Models: These often do not withstand the shipping process well, frequently arriving with chips, particularly along the cusps/incisal edges, which may not always be noticeable but can still affect the aligner fit. The quality of stone models can also vary; even with a perfect impression, a poor pour can result in a compromised scan due to issues like air bubbles.
• Mesh Trays: The depth of these trays often fails to capture necessary details, which can lead to loss of crucial incisal and gingival margin detail.

Information on Bite Registrations

• Physical Bite Registrations: These are not required and are not scanned as part of our standard procedure.