New Technologies In Dentistry

Dentistry is now an ever growing field. Many students pass out every year to become part of this noble profession. In the early days, it was a tough job for the dentists to practice, as old treatment techniques were giving huge stresses. But it was their job and they had to do it. For example, tooth used be extracted using just threads, by tying it onto the teeth, then pulling it using bare hands. Painful, isn’t it.

However, currently, the dynamics have changed, technology has arrived. In this post, we shall discuss some of those new technologies and methods that have shaped the transition era in dentistry.

• Laser Dentistry

A whole number of dental procedures like whitening, reducing sensitivity, tumor removal etc. could now be performed using lasers, which are very efficient. They encourage painless treatments without further complications.

• Invisalign

These are clear, but invisible braces that very gently help in teeth straightening. Again, it’s very effective and eliminates the issue of wearing metal braces. They complete the job very easily as eating the ‘type of food restriction’ is not present.

• Digital X-Rays

These have replaced the radiographs. It is convenient, contains less radiation, and fast enough that doesn’t allow a complex procedure. Also, the digital data could be stored on the computer. Root canal procedures could easily be carried out with this method.

• Dental Implants

These are metal-post (titanium) replacements for the root portion of the teeth. People with missing teeth can use this as these serve as a viable replacement. It’s very popular.

• VELscope

This is a special type of light used to shine in a patient’s mouth to detect irregularities. Mouth cancer, in its early stage could be detected with this.

• Air-Abrasion

It is primarily used for preserving healthy tooth structure without using Anesthesia, treating small dental cavities, which is traditionally performed by a dental drill. It precisely removes decay and can be used to restore old teeth restorations.

• CAD/CAM

It allows dental restoration fabrication through computerized technology. It stands for Computer Assisted design, Computer Assisted Manufacture. Procedures like inlays, porcelain veneers, and bridges could be completed in one visit, rather than two.

• Desensitizers

They can be used for treating sensitive teeth without discomfort. Sedation dentistry and pain relief modalities could also be conducted using desensitizers.

• Optical Scanners

These provide a perfected digital map of tooth to create a #-D clone model of the dental structure. The accuracy level increases with this for cosmetic restorations like crowns, porcelain veneers and bridges.

• HealOzone

This is a better way of eliminating tooth decay than the traditional method. It contains ozone (O3), which is a natural gas that kills bacteria and fungi. It is also used to detect and get rid of early tooth decay.

• Intraoral Camera

It is a tool used by dentists to get well-defined and crystal clear pictures inside the mouth. This helps in better assessment of a patient’s oral health.

• ViziLite

It is an oral lesion identification tool and marking device. It helps in detecting minor mouth changes, evaluates oral abnormalities that could cause oral cancer.