Dental Technology That Your Dentist Should Have

Dentistry is a field that keeps evolving. Every dentist needs to keep up with the latest advancements in techniques and technology if they want to keep offering their patients care that’s truly state-of-the-art. As a dentist, I make sure to keep up with the cutting-edge innovations, and so should yours. Here are some examples of dental technology that every practice should have to deliver the best available care.

All-Digital X-Rays

X-rays are nothing new in dentistry; they’ve been widely used since the 1950s and have proven invaluable for diagnosing problems that can’t be caught just by examining the teeth and gums. But traditional X-rays have had their drawbacks; it takes a while to develop them, and they involve exposing patients to a certain amount of radiation.

Fortunately, digital X-rays have given dentists a much quicker, safer alternative. A digital X-ray image can be made available for viewing right away, and the images tend to be sharper so that your dentist can home in on important details more easily. Plus, compared to traditional radiography, digital X-rays reduce the amount of radiation that patients are exposed to by as much as 90%.

Intraoral Cameras

In the past, patients had to rely on their dentists’ descriptions alone to know what was going on inside their mouths. Nowadays, though, there’s no need to imagine anything; you can get a close look at the problem areas yourself thanks to intraoral cameras.

These useful wand-like devices can be comfortably inserted into your mouth to capture pictures of your teeth and gums from any angle. Said images can immediately be displayed on a monitor next to the dental chair, where you can easily view them. This lets your dentist point directly to cavities or any other problems that might be present in your mouth. You’ll have a much clearer idea of what state your oral health is in and why certain treatments are necessary when you can see what your dentist sees.

Soft-Tissue Lasers

For treatments involving the gums, many practices have switched to using soft-tissue lasers instead of metal instruments. A soft tissue laser is a concentrated beam of light that can be used to kill harmful bacteria while also removing any diseased tissue. Many dentists use this particular piece of technology to treat more advanced cases of gum disease.

The precision of soft-tissue lasers makes it easier to target just the diseased tissue; the healthy parts of the mouth are left alone. Lasers are also much gentler than metal instruments; you won’t even need to have your mouth numbed for the procedure because you’ll barely feel anything during the treatment. Finally, lasers seal off any exposed blood vessels right away, so there’s little to no bleeding to worry about, and your mouth will heal much faster after your appointment.

Digital Impressions

If you ever got a crown or another type of dental restoration in the past, you might remember having to bite into messy, foul-tasting dental putty to make an impression. Not only is this approach unpleasant for patients, but it also tends to allow errors that force the dentist to retake the impression. As such, when it comes to taking impressions, many practices have switched to digital technology.

Now your dentist can just use a small wand-like device to scan your mouth to create a digital model of your teeth in about 5 minutes. This is far faster than the traditional method of taking impressions, is much more comfortable, and makes it more likely that your dentist will get the correct results the first time.

The next time you visit your dentist, feel free to ask what technology they use to make your dental experience faster, more comfortable, and just plain better. Learning more about the care your practice can offer and the instruments they use to do it is key for getting the highest quality care for your smile.