Technology in Dentistry

The world around us is filled with new technologies that are changing and evolving. Everything from our vehicles we drive with hands free, smart watches we wear, and phones we keep in our pockets. These technologies are helping make our lives easier and better than ever before. Did you know the same can be said for technology in dentistry and your experience in the dental chair?

Not long ago it was a dreadful sound when your dentist would tell you that a crown would be helpful to fix a broken or fractured tooth. You would need to schedule multiple appointments involving uncomfortable “goop” in your mouth, a fragile temporary crown that may break or come off, a long two week wait for the permanent crown to be made by an outside lab, and then a need for another appointment and time away from work and family……

Now there is technology that allows for getting a dental crown to be a much more comfortable and convenient process. The process is typically completed in under a two hour time frame and in a single appointment – don’t worry, patients don’t have to hold their mouth open that whole time!

Utilizing CEREC technology allows for impressions to be made with a camera to digitally compute and create a model of the teeth within the computer program. These digital models are more accurate with less distortion than traditional stone models – they are much more comfortable too! The computer is then used by the dentist to design the new crown and send it to a milling machine to be made. Typically it will take anywhere from 8-12 minutes for the crown to be milled out – always a great time for a break for the patient! The crown is tried in the patient’s mouth and modifications made prior to being characterized to match the neighboring teeth. It is put in the oven for a short time of approximately 15 minutes – another great time for a break for the patient! The crown is then cemented into place, cleaned, made sure the bite is comfortable, and patient on their way! See – we told you patients aren’t open that whole time! Not so bad anymore!

Digital impressions with CEREC can also be utilized in many other applications as well including fabrication of dental sleep/snore appliances, TMD/TMJ appliances, clear braces, dental implants, larger cosmetic cases, as well as other removable appliances. All of these applications are utilized at Med City Dental to help improve your health and smile.

With improvements in technology all around us, there should also be improvements and utilization of technology in your experience at the dental office. The Med City Dental team is dedicated to implementing new and better technologies to help make your experience in the dental chair easier and better than before! Give us a call if you are looking for a better dental experience that is keeping up with the advances in technology around us!

Scott A. Funke, DDS, FAGD