High-tech dentistry goes digital, simulated, and 3D
Dentistry hasn't been immune from high-tech advances, despite what the magazines on their coffee tables might imply (thanks, comedy club audience circa 1994, I'll be here all night). The developments in dentistry are helping dentists to be better trained, conduct safer treatment, and leave patients better cared for.
This Wired piece shows several of the newest advances in teeth. Students in training work on simulations, both physical and digital. The physical dummies are unnervingly realistic, and allow students to begin physical training immediately, rather than after significant schooling.
There are also simulated patients (soon to be in 3D) that allow any condition to be created at will. These models are designed to give students as much experience as possible.
Other advances include digital radiography, a replacement for x-rays that have several advantages. Radiography is instant, requires no printing, and uses 20% less radiation than its older alternative. Even better is a new technology called optical-coherence tomography. Says Wired:
OCT could be thought of as optical ultrasound. It uses near-infrared light to create high-resolution images. Enamel is almost completely transparent in the near-infrared spectrum, allowing OCT to create highly detailed images of teeth as well as soft tissue.
OCT provides cross-sectional images up to 3 millimeters into hard or soft tissue. That allows dentists to detect decay far earlier than with traditional X-rays, which means they’ll be able to diagnose problems sooner and treat them more effectively.
Digital record-keeping is another key factor--it's both more organized and less wasteful than the printed past.
We may not be curious enough about these new technologies to want to run over to the dentist and try them out, but it's great to see how fast the tech is moving.
Image: Wired
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com