Dental Technology: Bridging the Gap

I stay up-to-date on the latest innovations in dentistry and I always find it interesting to see what new technologies are dominating the industry.

After attending the 2013 Greater New York Dental Meeting at Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Center, one of the largest annual dentistry trade shows in the country, I realized that digital dental imaging solutions, such as plastic printers, are trending among dentistry professionals right now.

These digital scanning devices help us create better and more accurate dental implant products (such as porcelain crowns and veneers), improve communication, and speed up the process for patients. I expect more and more labs to begin using 3D plastic printers as well, which can make a plastic duplication of a patient’s mouth. These valuable tools are helping to raise the bar of excellence in our field.

In fact, the technology is growing so rapidly that companies are currently developing these products to extrapolate individual x-rays, such as bitewings and periapicals, which are the annoying and uncomfortable x-rays currently taken from inside of the mouth, using an external scan.

Another exciting technology trending in dentistry is the 3D Cone Beam scanner which is, essentially, the dental CAT scan

These trends in technology come on the heels of a rapid 10-year surge in implant dentistry, a rise in the popularity of cosmetic makeover dentistry, and a tremendous evolution in tooth replacement therapy.

I am happy that the number of dentists offering implant solutions is growing rapidly, as is the popularity of cosmetic dentistry among patients, particularly since I adopted this facet of dentistry early in my career. These tools have already helped me to create a road map for more predictable and more successful treatments for my patients.

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