We hear it all the time when someone says that technology is always improving and is always changing. And not many people may be aware, but dental technology is one of the types of technologies that improve at a quick rate. You could literally hold off on seeing your dentist for an entire year and when you do decide to drop by a year later, you’re bound to see a plethora of new tech in the office. Don’t believe me? Ask this Watford dentist.
To me, it’s amazing to find that a field that takes years to successfully perform a procedure is able to come up with innovations on a regular and yearly basis. And it’s also understandable why there’s an apparent need for new technology — these procedures take too long as it is. Dental braces take at least a year to show any results and not only that, but after your teeth are aligned you need to wear retainers to prevent your teeth from reverting to their former alignment (or rather, misalignment).
So, is this the year that dental procedures are going to be much quicker? You’ll have to see the new tech to be able to determine whether what the answer is. So, to start off:
What Technologies have Greatly Improved?
Bond Material
These are the adhesives that dentists use to attach objects to each other. A common use of bond material is during the installation of dental braces, where brackets have to be attached to your teeth. Modern dental adhesives are able to stick for longer periods of time.
Fillings
As the name suggests, fillings are used to fill up spaces in tooth cavities. This is to help prevent infection, as well as to hide the cavities. New iterations of fillers come in more shades than before, thus making it easier for the fillings to blend in with the rest of your teeth.
Cavity Detection Via Lasers
Cavity detection isn’t something new. It’s a common process in almost every dental procedure. However, because of modern innovations, dentists no longer have to poke around in your mouth with that dreaded explorer tool — it’s sharp, cold, and the sensation of metal grinding against teeth makes for a very unpleasant experience. Laser cavity detection not only eliminates the need for the invasive assessment, but it also detects cavities at a quicker rate.
The Integration of CAD Technology
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is more commonly used in architectural design. CAD software is used to create two-dimensional and even three-dimensional designs. In the past, after dentists take a mold of your teeth, they have to build a temporary replacement for your tooth. And while this happens, the lab has to create a new permanent replacement from scratch.
Now, with the integration of CAD technology, dentists simply have to take a picture of your teeth and feed the data to the computer, which will then relay the designs to a machine that can create your permanent crown without the arduous task of molding and sculpting by hand.
Digital X-Rays
X-rays are dangerous and expensive to use. This technology works by passing a beam through the area that we intend to diagnose and the image is printed onto a metal sheet. Different body components react differently to X-rays. For example, skin and soft organs do not absorb the energy, thus the beam simply passes through them. Denser parts such as bones and teeth, on the other hand, absorb the rays and that is what produces the image.
Now, digital X-rays are much more convenient to use because the data is no longer printed onto a metal sheet, but rather, it’s stored directly to a computer. Results can be viewed in mere seconds compared to when the metal sheets still had to be processed like film photography.
Not only that, but the radiation levels found in newer X-ray machines are significantly lower than that in older iterations. So not only is the process quicker, but it’s also a lot safer.
Conclusion
The best part is that all this technology is still being improved in one way or another. There is an inborn thirst that lives in the human species, and that thirst is the pursuit of greater knowledge. Technology has always been our strongest asset and it will only keep getting better. The thought of being able to create something that can help make the world a better place is one of the most beautiful, yet unsung hymns of our existence.
Lora Young was born in January 1992. Today, she is a digital marketer who has several years of experience in working with non-profit organizations. She has extensive knowledge in the fields of Education, Computer Science, and Psychology. When she isn’t helping build brands, she practices Muay Thai and run marathons.
BIO:
Lora Young was born in January 1992. Today, she is a digital marketer who has several years of experience in working with non-profit organizations. She has extensive knowledge in the fields of Education, Computer Science, and Psychology. When she isn’t helping build brands, she practices Muay Thai and run marathons.