Technology

MONTEBELLO, CA

Orthodontic Technology at My LA Braces

Introduction

The technology inside our Montebello office shapes every step of treatment, from your first consultation to the day your retainers arrive. Dr. Parsa has invested in digital scanning, 3D printing, and a full in-house orthodontic lab so patients spend less time in impression trays and more time enjoying their results. This page walks through the equipment we use, what each tool does for your treatment, and how it changes your day-to-day experience as a patient.

iTero Digital Scanner

What it is

iTero is a handheld digital impression scanner that captures a precise 3D model of your teeth, bite, and gums in minutes. Our team uses it for braces consultations, Invisalign records, retainer fabrication, and progress checks. The scanner takes thousands of images per second and stitches them into a digital file that we can rotate, measure, and share with you on a screen during your visit.

What it means for your treatment
  • No gagging on putty impression material.
  • A visual preview of your projected results before treatment begins.
  • Accurate aligner and retainer fit on the first try.
  • A permanent digital record we can use for future appliances without rescanning your teeth.

3D Printing for In-House Aligners and Retainers

What it is

Our office operates a 3D printer that converts your iTero scan into physical models and appliances. We print stage-by-stage models of your tooth movement, then fabricate clear aligners and custom retainers directly on those models. Because the printer is in our building, replacement retainers can often be ready within days rather than the weeks it takes practices that outsource lab work.

What it means for your treatment
  • Replacement retainers without taking a new impression.
  • Custom-fit clear aligners produced from a verified digital model of your smile.
  • Faster turnaround when a retainer is lost or damaged.
  • Quality control under Dr. Parsa rather than at an outside lab.

In-House Orthodontic Lab

What it is

My LA Braces has a full orthodontic lab inside our Montebello office. Our technicians fabricate retainers, palatal expanders, lingual arches, space maintainers, and other custom appliances on-site. Most orthodontic practices send this work to outside labs, which adds shipping time and removes the orthodontist from the fabrication process. Keeping the lab in-house means Dr. Parsa can inspect every appliance before it goes in your mouth and adjust the design if your treatment plan changes.

What it means for your treatment
  • Faster appliance delivery, often within days.
  • Direct communication between your orthodontist and the people building your appliance.
  • Adjustments and repairs handled the same day in many cases.
  • One office responsible for the entire process, from scan to fitting.

Low-Dose Digital X-Rays

What it is

We use digital panoramic and cephalometric X-rays to evaluate tooth root positions, jaw growth, and impacted teeth. Digital sensors capture clearer images at significantly lower radiation levels than older film-based systems, and the images appear on a screen seconds after the scan. Dr. Parsa uses these images to plan tooth movement around your roots and bone structure, not just the parts of your teeth that are visible above the gum line.

What it means for your treatment

  • Diagnostic imaging completed in a single visit.
  • Lower radiation exposure than traditional film X-rays.
  • A clearer picture of growth patterns, especially for younger patients.
  • Better planning for cases involving impacted, missing, or angled teeth.

Treatment Planning Software

What it is

Dr. Parsa uses treatment planning software to map every stage of your tooth movement before any wire or aligner touches your teeth. For Invisalign patients, this includes ClinCheck, the digital preview that shows where each tooth will move from start to finish. For braces patients, planning software helps determine bracket placement, wire sequences, and timing for adjustments.

What it means for your treatment

  • A visual roadmap of your treatment before you commit.
  • Predictable outcomes based on planned tooth movements.
  • The chance to ask questions while looking at the same screen as your orthodontist.
  • Shared digital records for any specialist who participates in your care.

Patient Portal and Communication

What it is

The Ortho2 Edge patient portal gives you 24/7 access to your treatment records, payment history, upcoming appointments, and progress notes. Our team is also reachable by phone, text, and email during office hours for emergency questions, scheduling changes, and general updates between visits.

What it means for your treatment

  • Records and appointment details available outside office hours.
  • Less time on hold for routine questions.
  • A single place to manage your treatment or your child’s treatment.

Why Orthodontic Technology Matters

Modern orthodontic technology changes three things for patients: comfort, accuracy, and speed. Putty impressions are uncomfortable and prone to material distortion that leads to ill-fitting appliances. Digital scans eliminate both problems. 3D printed retainers fit more precisely than retainers made from physical molds because there is no step where stone or plaster can shift between the scan and the finished appliance. In-house labs cut down on shipping delays and reduce the chance of miscommunication between the orthodontist and an outside technician.

A practice that combines digital scanning, in-office 3D printing, and a full orthodontic lab, including My LA Braces, can handle the entire treatment cycle from consultation to retainer delivery without sending a single file or model outside the office. For patients, that translates into fewer appointments, more accurate appliances, and faster service when something needs to be replaced or adjusted.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

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My LA Braces uses iTero digital impression scanners, in-office 3D printers for clear aligners and retainers, a full in-house orthodontic lab, low-dose digital X-rays, and Invisalign ClinCheck treatment planning software. The combination lets our Montebello team handle scanning, planning, and appliance fabrication without sending records to outside vendors.
iTero captures thousands of digital images of your teeth and gums per second using a handheld wand. The images are stitched together into a 3D model that appears on a screen during your appointment. The process replaces traditional putty impressions and usually takes a few minutes.
In most cases, no. Our iTero scanner replaces traditional impressions for Invisalign, retainers, and most other appliances. We may occasionally use physical impressions for specific clinical situations, but digital scanning is our standard process.
3D printed retainers are fabricated from a digital scan of your teeth rather than a physical mold, which eliminates the distortion that can occur when stone models harden. The fit is more precise, and replacement retainers can be reprinted from your stored digital file without rescanning.
Because we print retainers on-site from your stored digital scan, replacement retainers are usually ready within a few business days. In most cases you do not need to come in for a new impression first.
Digital X-rays use significantly less radiation than older film-based systems. We only take images when needed for diagnosis and follow ALARA principles, which stands for As Low As Reasonably Achievable. For young patients, we time imaging to growth milestones to minimize total exposure across treatment.
Yes. The iTero scanner and our treatment planning software can generate a digital preview that shows how your teeth will move during treatment. You see this preview during your consultation so you can ask questions before deciding to start.
Yes. We design and 3D print clear aligners in-house from your digital scan. Patients who choose our in-house aligner program receive aligners produced and quality-checked by Dr. Parsa's team rather than shipped from an outside facility.
We keep your scan in our secure patient records. If you ever need a replacement retainer, additional records for a future treatment, or files to share with another dental specialist, we can pull the original scan without taking a new one.
In-house fabrication removes shipping time, lab queues at outside vendors, and back-and-forth communication when something needs adjustment. For retainers, expanders, and similar appliances, the difference can be days or weeks compared to practices that send their lab work out.

Better Care, Better Results

From extremely accurate digital imaging to Platinum Invisalign provider care our technology helps make the experience faster, easier, and even fun!

Invisalign patients have the option of virtually all of your appointments being virtual, from the comfort of your home or office. Retainer checks and free Smile Assessments may also be conducted virtually!

We also offer the convenience of our in-house lab where we make your custom retainers, expanders, lingual arches, and more. You’ll benefit from precise fabrication using the latest advancements in technology, plus you will have less wait time to receive your orthodontic device!