Technology and the Dentist
There are so many different technologies that we in dentistry have available to us, that it is really a difficult task to figure out which ones are truly useful, and which ones will simply sit on a shelf somewhere! Believe me, I have had my share of both kinds!
But it is really exciting to see how these new tools can improve the patient experience and the results that people get. And the whole point is being able to deliver better treatment, as painlessly and as permanently as possible!
The most important technologies we have now in our office fall into three categories:
- Informational- where we can transfer what we know, or who is scheduled, confirm appointments - all electronically and easily.
- Diagnostic- with digital x-rays, digital photographs and other diagnostic tools.
- Treatment tools that help us to do better dentistry.
Let’s look at each one of these a little deeper
Our informational technology ranges from our practice management system, where we can look at x-rays, or photographs from any room, we can email them to specialists, and even have dentists from other countries to help figure out difficult challenges. Many times, I can see something I have never seen before, and take a digital photograph, and send it to a dental board of great dentists, and before the patient leaves, I will have a good idea of what we might be dealing with! It truly is an amazing time!
In addition, we can confirm people’s appointments with email or texts, eliminating that embarrassing “oops” where an appointment is forgotten or the time gotten wrong.
We also have the new scan technology where we are able to scan most paperwork from other doctors into a person’s chart and eliminate most of the tribulations of trying to find paperwork!
Our Diagnostic Technologies
Still one of the most amazing things for us is our digital x-ray system. We can snap a digital radiograph, and have it on the screen in seconds, ready for an immediate diagnosis. The image is clear and can be enlarged and lightened and darkened like no film image could be, and of course, can be shared with specialists just as quickly. There is NO Question that digital x-rays give us more information to diagnose a problem of any kind.
Another fun digital technology is our TechScan technology. This amazing unit allows us to measure electronically how a person’s teeth are coming together, showing which teeth are hitting prematurely and more forcefully- it is very useful in finding out why some teeth are sore and loose. It really takes most of the guesswork out of finding out troublesome bite issues.
Treatment technologies
Dental treatment is much more accurate today, much of this because of the magnification and direct lighting we use, as well as the things that our diagnostic tools can show us. That means treatment is more comfortable and more predictable than ever!
One very exciting technology with some huge benefits is our dental laser. Laser energy is being used more and more in all areas of medicine, but in dentistry it is especially useful for treating peridontal (gum) disease and helping us to avoid surgical intervention. Lasers are extremely good at killing bacteria and viruses, so we can reliably and painlessly treat gum infections, cold sores and other issues that are infective. They are truly a game changer!
Another great technology is our Ozone generator- which creates ozone, another very potent antibacterial agent. We use it to disinfect any sort of infected area- tooth or gum tissue, often in conjuction with the laser. It also has an unbelievable effect on dental decay- really stops or slows down the progress of decay in the mouth!
Our last piece of technology we are incorporating is our Neuromuscular technology- using a TENS device for relaxing and deprogramming the muscles of someone with head and neck pain, and our Myotronics K7 unit, which allows us to measure the EMG’s of the muscles that control the jaws, to find the most comfortable and predictable position to place the jaw. Some amazing technologies!
All in all, what I have tried to do with all this technology is to keep things in perspective, because if it doesn’t help the patient to get better treatment, more comfortably, then it is just a waste! But I feel that the challenge for any dentist is to keep up, and be able to deliver a state of the art experience, even if it is done through the hands of a trusted and long time friend!
The person who can examine your problems and give appropriate is none other than the dentist. Only an efficient dentist can analyze your dental problems well, and can offer you the best and suitable treatment for that. As always, ensuring the high quality services to their patients, the best Dentist will give the most effective treatment for your dental health problems. They always ensure clean and hygiene in their clinics by putting a lot of efforts. There are a lot of dentists and each one of them make use of different techniques and highly developed technology to provide better treatment for their clients. Even though it is a difficult task to find a good dentist, make sure that the one you have selected is the best and qualified and who has much more positive feed back from his clients.
ReplyDeleteDentist Palmdale