Changing Dental Technologies: How They Affect You
When most people think about going to the dentist, their primary focus is on how they would prefer to avoid going. However, what many do not realize is that the experience of going to the dentist is forever changing and evolving as new technologies come into regular use. New dental technologies can make procedures faster and easier for your dentist to perform which in turn will reduce your aversion to going to the dentist by helping to eradicate pain and discomfort. So, get to know some of these new and developing dental technologies so that you can spend less time avoiding the dentist and get your dental needs taken care of in the most efficient way possible.
Faster Dental Crown Procedures
When you go in to visit the dentist and find out you need dental crowns, you usually have to undergo at least two procedures to get a mold taken of your teeth and then have the dental crowns actually placed on your teeth. And generally speaking, between the mold and the placement of your dental crowns there is a two-week waiting period.
However, new technologies have become available recently that can make dental crowns readily available in a single visit. The dentist will use a specialized dental imaging wand that will render a 3-D image of your teeth that will allow a crown to be made that perfectly fits your tooth. These images create a computerized model of the crown that needs to be built, which is then sent wirelessly to the dentist's milling machine.
The milling machine creates the basic dental crown which then needs to be glazed and baked to be ready to place in your mouth. The whole process can be done in a relatively short amount of time, saving you the hassle of two separate trips to the dentist. Not all dentists use this technology currently, as it is new and the equipment can be expensive. However, it will likely become more widely-used due to its convenience and efficiency.
Electric Currents For Tooth Decay
Another technology that is currently still in research and developmental stages is the use of electric currents to treat tooth decay rather than dental filling. The idea stems from a concept known as remineralization.
When tooth decay occurs, the resulting catastrophic damage to the tooth occurs because minerals are lost in the process. To reverse the effects of tooth decay, the tooth must regain the mineral content it has lost. Remineralization will give the tooth structural integrity and eradicate decay.
Painless electric currents applied directly to the tooth can force minerals back into the tooth. Treatments may last only minutes and are virtually painless. Oral surgeons may be able to use such techniques to avoid painful drilling procedures, and can even help to prevent the need for tooth extraction in some cases.
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