Gone are the days when the dentist’s office is seen as a scary place with primitive tools for your teeth. The delivery of dental care services has undergone significant transformations due to recent technological developments. Today, dental care delivery is more accessible, quick, high-tech, less invasive, and in many cases, pain-free. 

These trends have improved how dentists care for their patients and how the dental profession has impacted society. Read on to know more about the impact of these dental care innovations:

• Greater Efficiency Of Patient Care

Dental patients used to carve out at least half a day for their dental appointment, but because of many dental practice management systems and software, this has become more efficient. Clinics like Today Dental now offer same-day appointments, eliminating the pressure for patients to book weeks ahead to get their teeth checked. These cutting-edge clinics have turned from manual scheduling on paper to new software that reduces waiting times and improves patient scheduling. A few examples of these are Lighthouse 360, Dentrix, SolutionReach, EagleSoft, and PracticeWorks. 

These programs offer appointment scheduling, two-way texting capabilities, and marketing campaigns, and can send automated reminders for upcoming appointments. Clinics can monitor patient feedback, collect online payments, and check communication history all on one application. This has shifted the focus of clinics from grueling admin work to holistic patient care.

If you are unable to visit the clinic, technology has now made teledentistry possible, too. From the comfort of their own home, people can receive dental care like checkups and preventative advice through teleconferencing or video calls. All these things help bridge the gaps in bringing dental care to the people.

• Advancements in Dental Tools and Instruments

Furthermore, dental efficiency was historically low due to a lack of proper instruments and equipment to efficiently assist patients. Making dentures and dental implants was still an amazing discovery at that time. Dentists now have more efficient gadgets and instruments to help effectively and efficiently address your dental concerns. 

Some Advanced Dental Equipment Available

• The Waterlase System
• Dental X-Rays
• The Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) Apparatus
• The Wand Syringe

You can visit a dentist in Saginaw TX, with advanced dental tools and procedures for the care you need, whether it is emergency, restorative, or cosmetic dentistry.

• Diagnostic Accuracy

The technology available today also helps your dentist detect and prevent issues that may be too expensive to fix later on. Thanks to digital scanning and screening tools, your dentist can discover even the tiniest cavities, gum disease, or even signs of oral cancer.

For example, dentists use dental x-rays to determine the underlying cause of your pain, even if it may not be visible. An intra-oral camera is another tool that gives dentists a complete view of the insides of your mouth. It’s a dentist’s most reliable tool when educating patients about their oral health. This dental camera also lets patients observe their teeth’s condition and allows them to plan with their dentists on how to address these dental concerns. It’ll also help them proactively discuss how these problems could be prevented.

Another development in dentistry is the process by which dentures are made today. Some dental professionals now make dentures digitally, from beginning to end. The imprints are taken by digitally scanning the patient’s mouth. The dentures are planned and created on a computer based on these scans. Finally, the dentures are produced through 3D printing.

It helps dentists avoid patient complaints about their dentures that don’t fit well, that it’s unpleasant, or that the return time and additional fitting sessions wear them out. 

• Accessibility and Wider Range of Dental Care  

When people had toothache in the past, they would simply have the tooth extracted without anesthesia. Cracked, chipped, or misaligned teeth were never addressed for lack of technology and expertise. 

The technology available today helps your dentist discuss ways and means to address and improve the condition and presentation of your teeth. They won’t necessarily extract your tooth because they have more ways of saving it. Dental care today is more on the preservation of the teeth.

Innovations in dental care also provided many ways to ensure not only dental health but also dental beautification. There are cosmetic dentistry and other dental enhancement procedures available today. Your orthodontist can propose innovative dental procedures that may help you always wear a beguiling smile, including the following:

Some Innovative Dental Procedures

• Veneers: To make your smile more aesthetically pleasing, porcelain veneers are used to fit the teeth. They often give you a fresh, beautiful smile and last for many years. Your teeth will seem perfectly symmetrical and natural after a relatively quick procedure.

• Whitening: Teeth whitening is the easiest and most efficient cosmetic dental procedure to whiten and brighten your smile. This quick cosmetic procedure involves your dentist gently applying the whitening gel to the surface of your teeth, which is then chemically activated to immediately begin the whitening process. The bleaching procedure simply requires one office visit. You’ll get fantastic, long-lasting results from it. 

• Inlays: Inlays can repair teeth with substantial cavities or decay that do not affect the cusp (biting surface). An inlay would be a better choice instead of a large filling on a tooth with decay because a huge filling could endanger the good tooth. Alternately, the damage may render the tooth’s remaining structure too fragile to support a crown. Inlays are typically constructed of porcelain or resin and completed in two office appointments.

The Bottom Line

Dental care has greatly evolved throughout its history. Dental treatment has become increasingly accessible due to efforts to make patients more at ease in dental clinics. It’s no longer a pain to schedule an appointment or to receive dental advice when you’re away and can’t visit the clinic. Innovations in dental tools and instruments help dentists do everything from relieving people’s toothaches to improving the appearance of their smiles. Thanks to these improvements, the gap between patients and dental care has been virtually eradicated and anyone can easily get the attention their dental needs deserve.