Digital Dentistry: How Technology Is Changing Tooth Care

The world of dentistry becomes more cutting edge with each passing year. The rise in diagnostic tools that bring efficiency, ease, and information to both the patient and the dentist with speed and very little pain, continue to emerge. This is a drastic change from the past when dental applications took a lot of time to accomplish. Now efficiency has become a push in the industry, with tools that put the patient in the driver’s seat in terms of their own treatment, just as much as the dentist. In fact, there are several cutting edge tools that are on the way and set to revolutionize the industry.

Canary

Diagnostic tools that allow dentists to have access to patient information almost instantaneously will be one of the cutting-edge advances in future dentistry. Canary is a tool that can assess the condition of your teeth and gums and provide dentists with in-depth accurate information. Much of this technology is based on advanced dental imagining that can be derived from a 3-second scan. Canary is a tool that looks a lot like a toothbrush and is able to detect the small cavities and cracks in the teeth. This device is sensitive enough to pick up things that an X-ray can’t, without exposing the patient to radiation.

S-Ray

For years, the dental industry, just like the entire medical industry, has been dependent on X-rays to glean vast amounts of information about the condition of teeth. However, advances in medical tools has made getting this same information and more, much easier. The S-Ray utilizes 3-D mapping of the teeth and gums to get accurate results regarding their condition. It has the ability to detect both cavities and disease without any exposure to radiation. It is not yet FDA approved, however. Once it is, it may be less expensive than X-rays.

Biomaterial

The use of biomaterials as a means for treating and healing cavities is another amazing dental advance on the horizon. The University of Nottingham and Harvard have partnered to create this synthetic material that has the ability to help a tooth heal itself. This is a giant step in the direction of preventative dentistry.

VELscope

Imagine a tool that has the ability to spot oral cancer at the onset of the disease. A tool like this could save lives. The VELscope has this type of capability. This technology utilizes blue lights to pick up subtle changes that aren’t visibly detectable in the gums. The VELscope could help isolate potentially problematic situations that might require a biopsy. This would be a giant step when it came to making a dent in one of the most serious forms of cancer.

Nanobots

Nanobots represent an even deeper look into the future of dentistry. Nanobots are futuristic microscopic little machines that could perform a variety of different tasks. These tiny robots could go to work in your mouth, performing many essential functions. Imagine these tiny nanobots straightening your teeth and infusing your mouth with antimicrobial carbon nanotubes to kill bacteria. The projected uses for these tiny robots are many. However, this advance couldn’t come into fruition without human clinical trials and more research and testing.

The future of dentistry looks bright, especially with the help of these futuristic tools. However, more change looms on the horizon. Many strides will be made in the development of diagnostic tools. These tools will have the ability to determine the actual condition of our overall Birmingham AL dental care the ability to gather precise information may allow a dentist to decide on a specific form of treatment based on a mixture of different pieces of information. The future shows signs of more development of dental tools that will continue to be useful in preventing, treating, and diagnosing dental problems.