Is Going Digital the Future of Dentistry?

1. Is Going Digital The Future Of Dentistry? Digital technology has entered every sphere of human activity and brings in its wake attributes like speed, convenience, usability, and accuracy, among others. Dentistry is one such area that has long been using mechanical and electrical devices for diagnosis and treatment. But not anymore! Given that the digitization in dentistry has led to the implementation of high-tech dental solutions. Considering the broader scope of digital dentistry, digitization of the domain includes computer-controlled components such as CAD/CAM, among others. These pieces of equipment can digitize the entire workflow in a laboratory or dental clinic thereby heralding transparency, speed, accuracy, and ease of handling. It goes without saying that digitization in dentistry has been embraced with mixed feelings. On the one hand, there are the tech-savvy dentists who have found this as a value addition to their existing practice; there

2. are others who are more comfortable with the legacy mechanical and electrical systems. However, there is no denying that digital dentistry is slowly but steadily making inroads into the domain and can be easily thought of as the future. Even patients are realizing the new developments and are flocking to dental clinics that have equipment related to digital dentistry namely, digital radiography, Cone beam CT, and CAD/CAM, among others. How advanced digital impression systems can be of help The biggest challenge for any dentist is to look into the nook and crannies of the patient’s mouth and find out the extent of damage to the teeth or gums. However, armed with just a light beam and a PMT set, the dentist cannot view every angle of the teeth and gums thereby mostly depending on X-ray images of the teeth. This often takes a lot of time and prolongs the suffering of the patient. However, the advanced digital impression systems can cut down on the time spent on diagnosis and enables the dentist to get the best visuals in real- time. These are comfortable and quicker and capture multiple images while rotating swiftly inside the patient’s mouth without causing any discomfort. Thereafter, the high-resolution images are transmitted to a computer where they are put together in a 3D format for the dentist to take a view and make an accurate diagnosis. The images are of uncanny accuracy and measurements that help dentists to safely diagnose the ailment and prepare a treatment plan. A 3D digital scan can be used to accurately detect the dental condition thereby saving a lot of appointments in the future. Besides, such impression systems can help in the below-mentioned situations as well: Planning a surgery Evaluating or diagnosing sinuses During reconstructive surgery such as putting aligners or dental implants Benefits of dentists going the digital way With digitization enveloping most of the human activity, the benefits of embracing the same in dentistry can have multifarious benefits as mentioned below: Achieve a high level of predictability of outcomes: Since the high-resolution images obtained from intraoral scanners are shown in a 3D format, the view is much more clear and comprehensive. It helps the dentist to understand the exact contours of the mouth and gums and diagnose the ailment with clarity.

3. Improved efficiency: The images obtained in real-time transform the workflow into a speedier and more functional one. The speedy and accurate diagnosis takes the efficiency level a few notches higher. Enhanced patient experience: The ease with which the probe of a scanner is inserted into the patient’s mouth to obtain images makes the experience less cumbersome for the patient. Also, since the wait time at the clinic is significantly reduced, the treatment is provided quickly thereby relieving the patient of further discomfort and pain. Conclusion Digital is the way forward and dentistry cannot remain untouched by it. The convenience, accuracy, clarity, speed, and cost-effectiveness achieved by using digital dentistry are a win-win for both patients and dentists. Resource: https://pingtum.com/is-going-digital-the-future-of-dentistry/ ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Pingtum Rm 807, Building A, No.655 Xueshi Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province Website: https://pingtum.com/ Email: info@pingtum.com Phone: +86-21-64989018