Colgate is partnering with 3Shape on a tool to help dental professionals show patients the potential effects of teeth whitening.

Colgate-Palmolive Company and 3Shape are partnering to introduce the Colgate Illuminator, a patient-tailored teeth whitening tool, to dental clinics.

The new tool is designed for more accurate consultations and improved patient experience.

Colgate Illuminator is an in-clinic predictive tool that shows personalized results for consumers of Colgate’s high-impact teeth whitening product, Colgate Optic White Professional. 

The tool illustrates potential results for the patient and helps them visualize what they may achieve.

Dental professionals can access the new Colgate Illuminator software via the 3Shape Unite digital dentistry platform. 

From there, they can provide each patient with a scan that conveys a simulation of the predicted outcome from the whitening treatment.

3Shape Unite is available to dentists as an in-clinic app, using an algorithm to display interactive before and after patient photos.

The process takes a few seconds and, based on a patient’s age and teeth shade, the 3Shape software provides a predictive preview of how the teeth will look following the treatment process.

This collaboration aims to help remove the guesswork and alleviate patients’ apprehension when they visit a dentist to discuss tooth whitening treatments.

“With this predictive, innovative tool, dentists can personalize the whitening experience by showing patients how their teeth could whiten when using Optic White Professional high-impact tooth whitening products based on results achieved in clinical studies,” said Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD, Colgate-Palmolive’s chief clinical officer. “And we believe patients are going to love seeing what is possible and how their bright new smile could look.”

Image via 3Shape