A washed out or foggy scan is nearly always moisture, dust or a marked lens inside the retractor. Work through the checks below before the patient scans again.

Clear the retractor

1. Take the retractor out of the patient's mouth.
2. Wipe the inside dry with a clean lint-free cloth. Look for dust, moisture or fogging.
3. Check the camera lens for scratches, condensation or debris.
4. Wipe the lens gently. If it has fogged, give it a moment to clear before scanning again.
5. Put the retractor back and reselect that single scan in the DM app. There is no need to redo the whole session.
6. Approve the scan once the image looks clean.

When the retractor needs replacing

If the lens is scratched or physically damaged, cleaning will not fix it. The same applies if the fault shows up across several patients or sessions, which points to a hardware problem rather than technique.

What to have ready

Start a support request in the OneSmile Concierge chat and include:

• Practice name
• Patient name
• Case number
• The DM device or retractor ID
• What the scan looks like and how often it happens

Still need help

If this article did not resolve your question, your practice manager is your first point of contact for case and product support. For anything that needs a tracked outcome, start a chat with the OneSmile Concierge using the chat button on this page. Include the patient name, the case number and the current aligner number so it can be actioned without a follow-up question.