Dental technology today. What’s changed?
How has dental technology changed?
Dental technology has come a long way in the last 9,000 years. Yes, 9,000-year-old evidence of mankind’s ingenuity and ability to withstand pain (and dish it out) has been discovered through carbon-dating of skulls from that time period with evidence of drilled teeth. Dentistry, it seems, has been in practice for quite a bit longer than originally was thought (check it out here).
We’ve all heard stories from our grandparents or parents (or perhaps have experienced it first-hand) of going to the dentist when they were younger. I certainly have! Even 20-30 years ago dental technology was quite different. Stories of dentists standing on the armrests over a patient while pulling, with all manner of unspeakable tools, on a tooth that needed extraction, or going in to get a couple of cavities filled with no anesthetic, then the recently discovered 9,000-year-old technology of drilling into teeth with flint drill tips attached to a bow!
Yes. Yes, dentistry has changed quite a bit. You can come in to get a filling WITH anesthetic, you can be “comfortably numb” while the dentist yanks on a particularly stubborn tooth (thanks to Nitrous Oxide!) You can go to a dentist today and NOT be afraid of pain so severe, it would make Chuck Norris cry.
So, what’s out there today?
Well, some techniques and technology in dentistry today sound more like Space Opera when compared to some of the older dental technology. From Laser Dentistry to complete, fully explorable 3-D x-rays, it makes it quite obvious we’ve moved into a new era. I’ve personally seen recently a walkabout x-ray gun which can take shots remotely!
Heck, in our office we even have a laser that tells us how deep a cavity is (don’t worry, you don’t feel a thing!) We have an intraoral camera which allows you to see exactly what the dentist sees so he can better help you understand what’s going in with your mouth. We have digital x-rays that are able to be viewed instantly, and transferred digitally in case you move away from the area where your dentist is located.
There are porcelain veneers that help make your smile beautiful, close gaps and cover stains, there’s tooth colored fillings and crowns now. There’s even a clear alignment system to straighten teeth, which, in most cases, can be used now in place of metal braces, for children and adults.
I can’t go over the entire gamut, there are too many advances to mention here.
In a nutshell…
If in fact you were hesitant in coming in to see a dentist because of a bad past experience, fear of pain, or anything like that, you should know, times have changed quite a bit.
Dentists can find out more about your mouth and teeth now, than ever before, usually without you feeling a thing. It’s just not like the horror stories of the past. So, if fear is a factor that drives you so strongly away, like an angsty rebel from organized political structure, please, try and reconsider. I implore you! We are in the Golden Age when it comes to dental technology and even medicine in general (for the most part).
So, readers, go check it out yourself. Go to a modern, high tech dentist (like us!) and find out for yourself what it’s like. You may be pleasantly surprised!
Looking forward to seeing you.
Stay healthy my friends!
