Innovative Tools and Treatments Available to the Modern Dentist

Thanks to advances in technology, a dentist now has access to modern tools designed for greater comfort, faster diagnosis, and less invasive treatment. Many people are apprehensive about visiting their oral health professional, and some may even have phobias. These improved methods and devices are geared towards alleviating those discomforts, while enhancing the quality of care.

Improved Comfort

One great example of an invention that is focused on patient comfort is air abrasion. This technology replaces a metal drill with gentle and quiet air abrasion to address problems of tooth decay. With this device, a dentist may be able to remove the decayed tissue without the aggravating sound of a metal drill. For comfort in bi-annual teeth cleanings, new tools have been developed that polish the surface of teeth with the power of air, rather than scrapers and manual buffers. These devices are excellent for individuals who fear the sensation of metal tools or are extra sensitive about the cleanliness of re-used dental devices.

Increased Efficiency

Some devices are also designed to reduce the time that a patient has to sit in the dental chair. For example, lasers used in root canals procedures reduce bacteria almost ten times faster than conventional disinfecting techniques. A laser diode, which is an electronically pumped semiconductor laser, is designed for a variety of procedures such as root canals, teeth whitening, and treatment for gum disease. The targeted precision of the laser makes addressing specific problems simple and effective. Oral health surgeons now also have access to computer-guided surgery tools. These have the advantage of being highly efficient and also accurate. For fillings, there are now computerized tools that allow oral health professionals to put in a ceramic crown or veneers quickly. Often, the professional may get the ceramic enhancements placed and set in just one sitting. The tool also displays when the ceramic addition has properly hardened.

Advancements in Prevention

There have also been significant advancements in preventative measures and detection in oral health. For example, there are now exams, which detect oral cancer at very early stages. These exams allow dentists to quickly treat the cancer and improve chances of eliminating the disease. Also, for better diagnosis, there is the use of advanced dental cameras. These pin-sized devices record live images of your teeth that the dental professional reviews on a much larger, high-definition screen. With this, a dentist can quickly hone in on problem areas, without requiring the patient to stay motionless for long periods of time. Furthermore, in the realm of imaging is the use of 3D mapping computer programs, which detect the contours of every tooth in a mouth. With this technology, oral health professionals have an excellent view of hard-to-reach areas such as the back of molars.