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The Impact of Technology on Dentistry

Technology has significantly transformed dentistry, introducing new knowledge and resources to improve patient care, treatment outcomes, and patient experiences. By leveraging this resource, dentists deliver comfortable, efficient, and accessible services, and patients are empowered to take care of their oral health, which is a significant determiner of overall health. Artificial intelligence (AI), teledentistry, lasers, smart toothbrushes, regenerative technology, and three-dimensional (3D) printing are popular innovations that are revolutionizing dental care.

AI imitates a dentist’s decision-making with a unique feature of learning from experience. This tool is transforming decision-making, treatment planning, and diagnosis to ensure dentists deliver safe and effective care. X-rays have long been important in detecting cavities, but may not reveal early-stage dental caries. AI has stepped in, and can now effectively identify extremely small cavities, enabling dentists to detect and manage these instances to avoid larger caries or more serious problems later on. AI can also help to detect gum disease early, thereby minimizing the risk of tooth loss.

Additionally, AI has been adopted in orthodontics to help guide the straightening of misaligned teeth and jaws and correct bite issues. Traditionally, designing an orthodontic plan was time-consuming since it required measurements and analysis to determine the suitable type of braces, retainers, and aligners a patient required. Adopting AI helps orthodontists in decision-making, designing effective treatment plans, and predicting how the patient will look after intervention, both quickly and accurately.

Notably, artificial intelligence is also influencing how dental facilities operate. This resource can streamline a facility’s administrative tasks by automating appointment scheduling, managing patient records, and processing insurance claims. This way, dental professionals reduce their workload and optimize efficiency and patient satisfaction.

Teledentistry helps professionals to provide care and guidance to patients remotely. Through video chats and virtual consultations, patients can address many oral health concerns without visiting facilities. While limited in scope, this is still particularly helpful for underserved populations and those with mobility constraints, such as the elderly and those with special needs.

Lasers, on the other hand, assist dentists in providing precise and minimally invasive interventions for cavity treatment, gum reshaping, teeth whitening, and the treatment of periodontal disease, the most common oral disease that affects the gums. Soft-tissue lasers are transforming periodontal care by allowing the precise removal of infected tissues while preserving healthy tissues. Laser dentistry reduces discomfort, minimizes bleeding, and accelerates the healing process, making this technology a suitable alternative to traditional instruments.

Smart toothbrushes are equipped with AI and sensors to empower users to take responsibility for their oral hygiene. These toothbrushes provide real-time feedback on brushing techniques, ensuring thorough cleaning. Most of these devices have companion applications that track one’s oral hygiene habits and offer personalized recommendations for improvement. Moreover, having an engaging toothbrush positively influences pediatric dentistry since it makes brushing fun for children, encouraging good oral care from an early age.

Regenerative dentistry is applying stem cell research to restore damaged teeth and tissues. Stem cells assist in self-repair and are mostly applied as dental fillings. The cells promote the regrowth of dentin, the hard tissue that makes up the majority of a tooth, eliminating the need for root canals. Notably, the future of regenerative dentistry is enticing since it may one day be able to treat congenital anodontia, a condition where patients are born missing one or more of their teeth. Researchers are working to ensure these patients can grow their teeth biologically rather than relying on artificial restorations.

In addition, 3D printing is revolutionizing the fabrication of prosthetics and organ replicas in dentistry. Traditionally, dentists would make a mold of a patient’s tooth to create a replica using a crown. This procedure was lengthy since it required multiple appointments and was prone to error. With 3D printing, dentists can take images of a tooth and create a precise restoration in a single appointment.