Dental Technology Improves Visits to the Dentist

A dental clinic’s technological capacity reflects the quality of service they provide to their clients. It’s vital to ensure that you receive the best and most comprehensive care for all your dental ailments. That’s what we want you to experience at Oak Family Dental.

Here’s a list of all our dental technology and how it will improve your visits to the dentist.

The CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) machine is a cutting-edge technology. It is used in dentistry to efficiently and precisely create dental restorations, such as crowns, veneers, inlays, and onlays. It allows dentists to design, manufacture, and place these restorations in a single dental visit. This eliminates the need for multiple appointments and temporary repairs.

CEREC technology streamlines the traditional process of creating dental restorations. With traditional methods, patients often need to wait days or weeks for their dental restorations to be fabricated in a dental laboratory. The CEREC machine allows patients to receive permanent repairs in a single visit, reducing the overall treatment time.

Here’s how the CEREC machine is used and its benefits for dental patients:

Digital impressions replace traditional molds that can be uncomfortable for patients. The CEREC machine employs a digital scanner to capture precise 3D images of the patient’s teeth and the surrounding oral structures.

Once the digital impression is obtained, the dentist uses specialized software to design the desired dental restoration. The dentist can customize the shape, size, and fit of the restoration. This ensures it matches the patient’s natural teeth and bites.

After the design is finalized, the CEREC machine uses computer-guided milling technology to sculpt the restoration from a block of high-quality ceramic material. This process is exact and ensures a natural-looking and well-fitting restoration.

CBCT machines (3D X-rays) and digital X-rays offer advanced imaging capabilities, quicker results, enhanced diagnostics, and reduced radiation exposure, making them valuable tools for dental practitioners and beneficial for dental patients in terms of improved diagnosis, treatment planning, and overall oral health care. We enumerated below what you need to know about these technologies.

The CBCT machine is a 3D X-ray or cone beam scanner. This specialized imaging device used creates detailed three-dimensional images of a patient’s oral and maxillofacial structures. The image provides detailed information, including teeth, jawbone, and surrounding tissues.

During the scan, the CBCT machine captures a series of X-ray images. The X-ray source and detector are placed opposite each other, and as the machine rotates, it takes multiple X-ray projections. A computer processes the collected data to reconstruct a 3D image of the patient’s oral and maxillofacial structures.

Here are some of their benefits:

• Enhanced Diagnostics: CBCT scans offer more detailed and accurate information than traditional 2D X-rays. This allows for better diagnosis of dental conditions, especially complex cases or issues involving multiple structures.
• Precise Treatment Planning: Dentists can visualize the patient’s anatomy in 3D, allowing them to plan treatments more precisely. This is particularly valuable for procedures like dental implants and orthodontics.
• Minimized Radiation Exposure: The modern technology used in CBCT machines helps reduce the radiation dose while providing detailed images.

Digital X-rays — or digital radiography — are a modern alternative to traditional film-based X-rays. These digital images are captured and stored electronically, offering several advantages over conventional X-rays. Here are some of the benefits:

• Immediate Results: Digital X-ray images are available almost instantly on a computer screen, eliminating the need for film processing. This rapid image acquisition expedites the diagnostic process, allowing dentists to assess the patient’s oral health promptly and discuss treatment options during the same appointment.
• Enhanced Diagnostic Capabilities: Digital X-ray images can be manipulated, zoomed in, and enhanced digitally, enabling dentists to examine specific areas of interest closely. This improved visualization helps detect dental issues that may not be as easily identifiable in traditional X-rays.
• Improved Patient Education: The ability to display and manipulate digital X-ray images on a computer screen enhances patient education. Dentists can explain oral health conditions more effectively by showing patients their X-rays and visually illustrating the nature of the problem.

A digital dental scanner is sophisticated equipment used to create precise and detailed three-dimensional (3D) digital impressions of a patient’s teeth and oral structures. This technology has revolutionized the process of capturing impressions, replacing traditional molds made from impression materials.

The digital scanner allows dentists to create digital models of a patient’s mouth, which can be used for various purposes, including treatment planning, restoration design, orthodontic analysis, and more. Here are some of their benefits:

• Comfort: Digital scanners eliminate the need for traditional impression materials, which can be uncomfortable and cause gagging or sensitivity in some patients. The scanning process is generally more comfortable and less invasive.
• Precision and Accuracy: Digital scanners provide highly accurate and detailed 3D impressions, reducing the likelihood of errors that can occur with traditional impressions. This accuracy leads to better-fitting restorations and appliances.
• Better Communication: Digital scans can be easily shared between dental professionals, specialists, and laboratories. This streamlined communication ensures that all parties access the same accurate digital data, leading to more efficient collaboration.
• Visualization: Patients can see their digital impressions on the computer screen, which can enhance their understanding of their dental condition and the proposed treatment. This visual representation can improve patient engagement and communication.

A 3D printer is a device that creates three-dimensional objects by layering materials according to a digital design. In dentistry, 3D printers fabricate various dental components and appliances, including dental models, crowns, bridges, dentures, orthodontic aligners, surgical guides, and more.

Here’s why 3D dental printers are beneficial:

• Precision and Customization: 3D printing allows for the creation of exact and customized dental appliances tailored to each patient’s unique oral anatomy. This ensures a better fit, functionality, and overall treatment outcome.
• Reduced Turnaround Time: 3D printing significantly reduces the time required to produce dental prosthetics and appliances compared to traditional manufacturing methods. Patients can receive restorations or devices more quickly, leading to faster treatment completion.
• Digital Workflow: 3D printing is integrated into a digital workflow, which promotes accurate communication between dental professionals, laboratories, and patients. This digital approach reduces the chances of errors and ensures seamless collaboration.
• Complex Designs: 3D printing creates complex geometries and intricate designs that may be challenging or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. This is particularly valuable for applications like surgical guides and implant restorations.