Advancements in the field of dentistry have been exponential within the last decade, ushering in accelerated growth of new technologies that are revolutionizing patient comfort, treatment accuracy, and early detection of potential problems for dramatically better outcomes. Nine of the most significant innovations in dental health are:
Â
For more than 20 years, Dental Depot of Oklahoma has been at the forefront in adopting and integrating innovative treatment options and ground-breaking diagnostics to help deliver the best dental care possible to patients across the state. We’ve been among the first dental clinics in Oklahoma to use advanced technology like the iTero intraoral scanner and All-on-4 dental implants, and we remain committed to providing our patients with not just the latest and greatest solutions available but also the most effective ones that make sense for every individual person.
Technological advancements in dental health have made it possible to treat an array of oral health conditions more easily, effectively, and affordably than ever before, conditions that, prior to today, people may have either just lived with because of prohibitive costs or health constraints or may have avoided completely because of inconvenience or even dental fear and anxiety. These advancements offer both improved oral health and a better quality of life through less invasive techniques; improved accuracy, reliability, and predictability; and greater patient acceptance of treatment.
Before conscious sedation/nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”), patients who were undergoing dental treatment had two options: numbing using a local anesthetic or complete general anesthesia, which posed an unnecessarily high risk for routine procedures. Conscious sedation–or sedation dentistry–provides patients who are anxious or fearful about dental procedures with the option to use nitrous oxide to calm their nerves and reduce discomfort without the need to resort to full anesthesia. This makes important preventive and restorative procedures more accessible to vulnerable populations, such as those with anxiety disorders, young children, patients with developmental disorders, and the elderly.Â
CBCT is a more advanced version of computed tomography (CT) scans but with reduced radiation. 3D scans are produced by the CBCT’s x-ray camera, which rotate around the patient and provide measurements down to the millimeter for better accuracy and diagnostic capabilities. In addition to enabling the earlier diagnosis and prevention of problems, CBCT has dramatically improved the precision of dental implant planning and placement for more predictable procedures, better outcomes, and higher success rates.
3D printers allow dental professionals to produce custom dental devices–from surgical implant guides, night guards, crowns, and dentures–in a matter of hours instead of days or weeks, reducing patient wait times while delivering better accuracy and exceptional quality.
With the iTero Element 2 scanner, dentists can take an accurate, detailed 3D scan of the entire mouth, mapping out each and every tooth and its placement within seconds to produce the digital impressions needed for dental devices. This allows them to take impressions for crowns, bridges, dentures, and more without using a molding compound that can restrict breathing, cause patients to gag, and be imprecise.
Digital impressions provide a more accurate replication of how a device such as a clear retainer, mouthguard, or partial denture should be crafted, so crowns and other devices fit into the bite without the need for modification.Â
By using a digital sensor like the iTero Element 2 placed inside the mouth, digital x-rays capture images of the teeth and jaws that can be sent to a computer and enlarged, magnified, or adjusted, providing better diagnostic capabilities and precision with less radiation exposure. Digital x-rays can be particularly helpful during consultations, where doctors can get immediate feedback and patients can see exactly what is going on inside their mouths in real time, leading to better patient education and greater treatment acceptance. Digital x-rays can also be manipulated to show patients what their mouths will look like after implant procedures or orthodontic treatment.
Soft tissue laser treatment and innovations in laser dentistry are changing the way that patients undergo routine checkups. Dentists can now use lasers of varying wavelengths to target hard or soft tissues in the mouth and address issues such as decay more comprehensively by both removing the affected tissue and also heating the area to kill more bacteria. This results in faster treatment and greater patient comfort, thanks to less scraping and bleeding and no uncomfortable sounds of drilling or grinding.
Laser dentistry can treat issues ranging from cavities to infected gum pockets, and it can improve the dental implant procedure by eliminating the need for surgical incisions and sutures, especially during the second stage of the procedure. The pen-style laser provides exceptional control and effectiveness for the doctor and helps patients enjoy faster recover, less swelling and bleeding, and lower risk of infection.
Zygomatic implants are longer than traditional ones, which allows them to be anchored into the cheekbones (zygomas). This is important for patients who have bone loss or insufficient bone density in the upper jaw, conditions that may have precluded them from being able to get dental implants in the past. Often called “rescue implants,” zygomatic implants can be used in conjunction with traditional implants–which are placed toward the front of the jaw–and do not require bone grafting, so they can be placed immediately in patients who may not have been candidates for conventional implants alone. Â
Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that has changed the way the dental world does orthodontics. Using clear plastic trays made from patented SmartTrack technology, Invisalign uses custom-molded multi-layer polymer aligners to deliver the gentle but constant force needed to slowly, safely, and accurately shift teeth into their proper alignment. For many orthodontic patients, Invisalign can replace cumbersome and uncomfortable braces while providing the same quality of results, often in less time.
Dental Depot of Oklahoma is a Diamond Plus Invisalign® provider, a top-tier designation awarded to just 1% of Invisalign® providers worldwide. This means that Dental Depot offers the highest level of excellence in Invisalign® treatment, successfully treating at least 400 patients a year and implementing the best in orthodontic technology, including the iTero 2® Intraoral Scanner for more accurate 3D images and better, more effective results.Â
Integrating innovations like CBCT, digital x-rays and impressions, zygomatic implants, and laser dentistry, guided implant surgery has made dental implants one of the most successful restoration procedures in dentistry, with a five-year success rate of approximately 95% for lower jaw implants and 90% for upper jaw implants. Guided implant surgery improves every phase of the implant process, from diagnosis and planning to surgery and placement for more precise, reliable, and predictable results. Studies show that guided implant surgery results in fewer complications on average. Additionally, it can be completed faster, which means less inconvenience for the patient and better long-term outcomes.
These recent innovations are just the tip of the iceberg for what dental professionals are developing and implementing into their practices.Â
3 trends to watch as dental care continues to evolve are:
Surveyed dentists all noted that dental implants are the trend going forward because, now more than ever, they are becoming more accurate, reliable, predictable, and affordable. Expect to see greater adoption of dental implants as an oral health treatment and more frequent inclusion of supportive technology such as CBCTs to perform guided implants at a higher rate of success.
The development of Pearl, the only FDA-approved AI dental solution, has dramatically changed how quickly and accurately dentists can identify issues. This model utilizes machine learning and artificial intelligence to carefully scan radiographs and other patient materials, providing a secondary look in addition to the dentist’s review. This can increase the rate at which problems are caught (on average, Pearl noticed up to 39% more problematic spots in patients’ mouths, which dentists missed due to issues such as grainy x-rays). While Pearl is still in the early stages of implementation, more offices will be including AI solutions in their practices as time goes on.
Patients are always eager to be in and out of the dentist as fast as possible without compromising the results of their care. Now, dentists are relying on innovations such as Curodont and silver diamine to treat cavities by stopping the progression of decay in a tooth or even reversing it completely. Both treatments are simply painted on, applied chairside within minutes, and are ideal for an array of patient demographics, including children, patients at a high risk of developing cavities, and patients with special needs. By addressing early decay as soon as it’s detected, these preventive treatments can reduce the risk of further damage and decay, reduce the need for future restorative treatment that could be more expensive or distressing, improve the patient experience, and improve overall oral health.
At Dental Depot of Oklahoma, we believe the future of dentistry lies in the possibilities of technology and innovation to provide more effective, accurate, and efficient treatment to more people, at a more affordable price. In addition to our commitment to educating patients and providing complete, comprehensive dental and orthodontic care, we’re also always seeking new ways to use technology to elevate our standard of care and deliver the quality oral health services you need with the compassionate, common sense approach you deserve.
Schedule an appointment at any of our Oklahoma locations and find out how Dental Depot can help you and your family enjoy a lifetime of good oral health.