The Latest Advances in Dental Technology and Their Benefits

Dental technology is constantly on the rise. Dental research teams and new studies continue to show us where we can make more improvements from what was being done in the years past. 

50 years ago the best fillings were mercury fillings. Today, composites have since mostly replaced those. When composite fillings first came out they didn’t have the best longevity. Thankfully, the dental industry didn’t give up. More and more research was conducted and today we have composite fillings that look much like a natural tooth, last longer, and are made with safe ingredients. 

There have been a host of new technology advancements in the last few decades that have made our dental appointments more beneficial to our patients. Here are a few of the new technologies that we will be sharing about today:

• Diagnodent
• Air Abrasion
• Dental Implant Surgery
• Digital X-rays
• Intraoral Camera
• Dental Lasers
• Oral Cancer Screening Devices

Diagnodent

The Diagnodent is a laser that is used to help diagnose decay. They are an instrument that is mostly helpful in diagnosing occlusal decay which is the chewing surface of your teeth. Traditionally dentists have used explorers to trace the grooves of your teeth and check for sticky spots. While they still use this as a ways to check the tops of your teeth, a diganodent can confirm what they may have found with their explorer and often catch things while they are smaller. 

Air Abrasion

Air abrasion is a newer way to have your teeth cleaned. It is often more comfortable and can be a quicker option to remove stain build up on your teeth. 

Dental Implant Surgery

Dental implants have come a long way in the last few decades. Those who face tooth loss can have a beautiful lasting smile even despite losing a tooth. Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth and they have a good long-term prognosis.  

Digital X-rays

Digital x-rays give us clinicians a clearer image of your teeth to use for diagnosing many things in your mouth. This is a huge benefit when it comes to being able to catch decay, tumors, and gum disease problems in the earlier stages. 

Digital x-rays are also a great advancement because they reduce the amount of radiation that is needed compared to traditional dental radiographs. 

Intraoral Camera

The intraoral camera allows us to capture images of the inside of your mouth. It is different than x-rays which tend to show the inside of your teeth and your bone structure. The intraoral camera can show great detail of your gum tissue and the exterior portion of your teeth.

Dental Lasers

Lasers are beneficial for so many things in dentistry. Some dental lasers are used for removing decay while others are used to treat gum disease.

Oral Cancer Screening Devices

Oral cancer is a very serious form of cancer. It can spread very quickly and it is not as easily curable as other forms of cancer such as breast or prostate cancer. Diagnosing oral cancers in their early stages is super important for long term prognosis. We feel very fortunate that over the past decade, oral cancer screening devices have been developed. 

It is important to our dental team that we stay on top of dental technology and products. When it comes to new dental procedures, you can relax knowing that our dental team thoroughly studies and researches that what we are using is the best option for you.  If you have questions about any certain procedures or products that we use, please ask!