These dental advancements make all the difference in your care.
Over the past ten years, there have been major advancements in dentistry that have helped patients and dentists achieve remarkable results. Modern tools and techniques allow patients to experience beautiful, healthy smiles while reducing discomfort and recovery times. Learn more about the top 5 advancements in dentistry and how they may be able to help you.
1. Clear Aligners
While traditional braces have been able to help children and adults correct their smiles and align their bites, clear aligners have offered an alternative that comes with distinct advantages. Unlike braces, which are clearly visible and can make some people feel self-conscious, clear aligners are practically invisible. Patients can comfortably wear them throughout the day and no one will know they are actively having their teeth straightened.
Clear aligners are also removable and easy to clean. Any time you eat, you can simply remove the aligners and brush your teeth before replacing them. Users don’t have to spend extra time cleaning around wires and braces where food can easily accumulate. In addition, with clear aligners, you don’t have to worry about avoiding hard fruits and vegetables or sticky foods like caramel that can dislodge traditional braces.
Finally, clear aligners provide a custom fit. By using scanning technology, dentists are able to quickly capture 3D images of your mouth and map out a treatment plan that will gradually shift your teeth into place. The aligners will fit your mouth perfectly for maximum comfort and performance. Clear aligners have provided patients with a more comfortable and invisible method for straightening their teeth, which is why clear aligners mark a truly amazing advancement in dentistry.
2. Implants
While dental implants have been around since the beginning of recorded time, modern implants offer a more natural way to replace missing teeth and allow patients to confidently show off their smile. In the past, implants weren’t that sophisticated and basically provided a one-size-fits-all solution. Today, implants rely on a process known as osseointegration, which means the titanium screw that is used to anchor the new tooth actually bonds with the jawbone to provide a strong foundation for the implant.
In the past, it could take up to six months for the implant and the bone tissue to adhere and be ready for the final implant; however, in recent years, researchers have gained a better understanding of osseointegration. Instead of using smooth implants, today’s implants feature a rough surface, which helps speed up the bonding process so patients can be fully healed and ready for the implant in just six weeks. Using new techniques, patients can also enjoy the benefits of dental bridges, which involves using two or more implants. Today’s dental patients don’t have to settle for partial dentures or deal with extensive healing times.
3. Teeth Whitening
In the 1980s, dentists discovered that when peroxide was left on teeth, it actually helped remove superficial stains. As you might imagine, this created a huge market for at-home teeth whitening products that promised to provide brighter, whiter teeth. While many of these products were effective, dentists continued to work to improve their techniques to maximize results. Ultimately, dentists discovered that photo-assisted whitening, which uses LEDs and lasers to activate whitening chemicals, provides better results without causing damage.
While at-home products have also continued to improve, in-office teeth whitening procedures are more effective than ever before. Patients can enjoy whiter teeth after just a few treatments with the help of recent advancements in light-activated techniques.
4. Laser Dentistry
Laser dentistry is one of the latest advancements in dentistry that is providing a minimally invasive alternative to traditional methods. While dentists have been experimenting with laser technology since the 1980s, the price of lasers meant they weren’t a practical solution for treating patients. Over time, the technology has become more affordable and new techniques have been introduced. Today, laser dentistry represents the future of precise and painless dental care.
Lasers are highly effective when it comes to removing tooth decay, reshaping gums, treating hypersensitivity, whitening teeth, and much more. Instead of relying on drills and other tools, dentists can use lasers to offer a more comfortable treatment. In addition, the focused light of the laser allows the dentist to accurately target areas, which can reduce bleeding, protect surrounding tissue, and reduce healing time.
5. Digital Impressions
Digital impressions and scanning technology is being used beyond clear aligners and changing the way dentures, crowns, retainers, bridges, and other dental treatments are being created. Before this technology was available, dentists had to make molds using alginate or polyvinyl siloxane. These thick materials would be placed into a U-shaped tray that would then be inserted in the mouth. The patient would have to gently bite down and wait for the material to set. While this method wasn’t painful, it could be uncomfortable, and once the mold was made, the dentist still had plenty of fine-tuning work to do to achieve the final shape.
The advent of digital impressions has changed all that. Now, dentists can quickly take a 3D scan of your mouth and send the information off to their lab where technicians will use the model to create incredibly accurate dental tools that can be used to correct your smile and help you feel more confident. There is no need to deal with messy materials and wait for molds to set. Digital impressions can quickly collect detailed information about your mouth and help create advanced dental solutions.
The field of dentistry has experienced major advancements over the past ten years that have helped equip doctors with the tools they need to provide more accurate and painless treatments. Patients are able to avoid discomfort, receive more accurate treatments, and enjoy faster healing and recovery times. With technology moving at such a rapid pace, the future of dentistry looks brighter than ever before.
If you would like to learn more about these treatments and see how they may be able to help you, contact the team at Brocks Gap Dental Group. We are happy to answer all your questions and help you schedule an appointment.
