21st Century Dental Technology
Making Your Office Visits Safer, More Accurate, and More Comfortable
By Richard J. Gochman, D.D.S.

There has been much technological advancement in the world over the last 20-25 years. Do you remember when there were no cell phones? Or even a little before that, when there were no answering machines (now we call it voicemail)? Now, at the touch of a few buttons we can communicate - and even see - the people we want to communicate with in real time, even if they are thousands of miles away!

There are hundreds of examples to demonstrate the major progress that has gone on in our lifetime. Fortunately for dentists and our patients, many of these advancements have given us the ability to practice dentistry more accurately, more comfortably, and less invasively.

LASERS

This remarkable technology, utilizing high-energy light emitted from a specific source to perform many medical procedures such as eye surgery, has now been available in dentistry for over ten years. There is a multipurpose laser, WaterlaseMDTM, that can be used on both soft and hard tissue.

Soft tissue procedures, like recontouring gums around the teeth or removing growths from the cheeks, tongue, or lips, can be done in a few short minutes with little to no bleeding, less post-treatment discomfort, and faster healing. It is a valuable tool in treating periodontal disease, as the laser is a very effective way to disinfect the pockets. Studies have even shown more reattachment than with conventional methods and surgery, and many of these procedures can actually be done without even giving an injection!

Lasers are even effective on hard tissue procedures - yes, we can now comfortably fix cavities with the WaterlaseMD. Teeth can now be 'drilled' without the drill! The accuracy and pinpoint size of the laser beam allows us to practice more minimally invasive treatment, preserving more natural tooth structure painlessly. The laser can also be used in endodontics (root canal) to more effectively disinfect the canals before sealing them off.

Another type of laser, the DiagnodentTM, is used like sonar on teeth to detect softening in the pits and grooves way before the dental explorer (the pointy instrument the dentist touches your teeth with during an exam) can feel the "catch," or before an x-ray will show a hole developing. This allows us to repair cavities at their earliest stage, keeping it minimally invasive. We want to preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible.

If you have children, you will be amazed to see them have an exam with the diagnodent, and have a cavity repaired using the WaterlaseMD with no needles and no numb feeling when you bring them home!


DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY

Patients are always asking if they really need to take x-rays during their visit. They are fearful of too much radiation. We as dentists want to be able to have as much information as possible when we perform an exam. Without recent x-rays it's like a cardiologist examining a patient with just a stethoscope. An EKG is part of their examination process, because it gives them more information about what is going on with the heart. The same is true in the mouth. We need to see the supporting bone and the roots of the teeth for signs of infections.

Fortunately, we can now use digital x-rays, which have tremendous advantages for both the patient and the dentist. First, digital x-rays use around 80% less radiation than traditional methods. Second, they are instantaneous - they appear right away on the screen, so it saves time for all. Third, the computer images can be enlarged and enhanced for a more accurate diagnosis. Lastly, it is environmentally friendly. We no longer have films, which all have lead foil pieces inside them, and those harsh chemicals - developer and fixers that all need to be disposed of.

There are also digital x-rays that can make a 3-dimensional reconstruction of your jaws. These radiographs and the computer software that goes with it allow us to accurately measure and plan where implants can safely be placed. The software will also manufacture a surgical guide that is placed in the mouth and then the implants are placed exactly where the guide is. This makes the procedure safer and much quicker for the patient. Digital x-rays are safer for you, safer for the environment, and more diagnostic for the doctor!


CAD-CAM

For those patients who need more extensive treatment like crowns, bridges or implants, computer advancements have allowed us to design and manufacture crowns digitally. This provides a much better fit than previously available. Moulds of the teeth can sometimes be eliminated altogether, and a scanned image of the teeth is used instead to create the digital model that the crown is designed on. Crowns can now sometimes be made in one visit.

OTHER TECHNOLOGIES

These other technologies are used routinely in the modern dental office for comfort as well as education for our patients.

- Video patient education - short presentations that describe almost any procedures that a patient may need are shown on a monitor chairside, so a patient can better understand what will be done.

- Digital intra-oral cameras - We can instantly take a picture of your tooth and show it on the computer monitor, so you can see what we see. The old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" is absolutely true!

- Personal entertainment - IPodsTM, Satellite, or internet radio can provide each patient with their own personal music choice to listen to while they are treated. A MyVuTM personal media viewer is my favorite new way to allow a patient to relax and forget about what we are doing. This device is like a pair of sunglasses that is plugged in to a source like a DVD player and allows you to watch a movie and see it no matter where the doctor needs you to position your head. This is great for longer procedures.

These are just some of the ways dentistry has advanced and made it better, safer, greener, and much more comfortable. Painless dentistry does exist!