5 top trends in dental technology
From 3D Printing to Augmented Reality:
Advanced dental technology: improving oral health and quality of life.
The Benefits and Future of High-Tech Oral Health Care
Dentistry is a field that has continued to change with technology. As technology has progressed, dentistry has changed. This has never been more prevalent than today. Whether you are a dentist, dentist’s assistant, or an administrator at the front desk, the industry of dentistry has become more efficient. Between oral surgeries and the ability to treat more patients more effectively, going to the dentist isn’t as dreaded as it used to be. Below are five technologies pushing dentistry forward.
3D Printing
One part of technological progress that has changed dentistry forever is 3D printing. Dental 3D printing has allowed dentists to get supplies and imitation implants for a cheaper price. There are a lot of different ways to use 3D printing to make the dentist more affordable, but it has also made the wait on specific supplies shorter. No longer do patients have to wait for what they need to arrive. Now, we can 3D print these supplies quickly, enabling dentists and their teams to get more done.
5G Internet + Teledentistry
Another area of technology that has had a huge impact on dentistry is the speed of 5G internet. 5G is a lot faster than its predecessors, making all kinds of things in teledentistry. There is faster communication between dentists. It can make video calls clearer and more stable. It is fast enough for a dentist to be on the other side of the country and still be able to tell people what to do. It enhances communication, but with the addition of augmented reality (AR) it can make remote surgeries possible.
Augmented Reality (AR)
When you combine the speed of 5G internet and the advent of augmented reality (AR), you can conduct remote surgeries. This means that dentists can be away and perform surgeries using AR. AR is the combination of extended reality (XR) technologies and real life. This means that the machines a dentist is using on their end can be controlled precisely on the other hand.
When it comes to dental surgeries, a lot of people feel nervous. They want the best dentist possible. So much so that they will opt for a remote surgery. Dentists will even be able to perform cleanings remotely. Soon, it won’t matter where the dentist is. They will still provide quality dental work. AR will make a lot of things happen, but remote medical work is one of the most exciting areas that is blossoming.
Electric Toothbrushes
Teeth brushing is the primary method of removing plaque from the teeth. And the more effectively plaque is removed from the teeth and gum line the less chance there will be of developing tooth decay and gum disease. Research has proven that people who use an electric toothbrush will retain more of their natural teeth later in life.
Some modern electric toothbrushes have advanced features that will help remove the maximum amount of plaque from all the teeth surfaces. Some of these advanced features include:
- Artificial intelligence-enabled toothbrushes use sensors to create 3D mapping for detecting and tracking the areas of the teeth being cleaned. This alerts the user of any teeth surfaces that are not being cleaned properly.
- AI-powered electric toothbrushes can monitor and correct toothbrushing techniques in real time as the user is cleaning their teeth. This ensures that the toothbrush head is applied at the optimal angle and pressure for the correct amount of time.
- Smart electric toothbrushes can record the data from each toothbrushing session and provide feedback to the user so they can learn to perfect their teeth cleaning routine.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as one of the most powerful technologies in scientific history. Although AI has been around for many years, the exponential growth of computing power over recent decades has accelerated the ability of machines to perform incredibly complex tasks. Artificial intelligence applications are revolutionizing many industries, and dentistry is one of them.
AI is already being deployed in a number of different ways:
- Diagnosis – AI algorithms can analyze dental images and X-rays to identify dental diseases.
- Oral cancer screening – A web-based tool that uses trained AI neural networks to detect reoccurring oral cancer in patients.
- Patient communication – AI chatbots can be used to provide personalized support to patients and answer commonly asked questions.
- Office administration – By training AI to perform repetitive and routine tasks, office staff can be more patient-focused.
- Dental treatment planning – AI can be used to create personalized treatment plans based on the patient’s dental history, general health, age, and gender.
Dentistry is reaping a lot of benefits from the evolution of technology. It is changing a lot in our lives in general, but the medical industry will be particularly impactful because of the effects it has on human lives. Technology is making things more convenient and accessible, but it is also helping us live longer, happier lives.
When it comes to dentistry, the health of our mouths matters more than you might think. As technology progresses, we will have cleaner and healthier mouths. It is just one way that our whole society will progress with technology.
