Digital dentistry: where are we and where are we going?

Technology has become a great ally in the health field, bringing innovations in tests, procedures, and treatments. in dentist no different. There are more and more devices and software in offices and clinics. The techniques are real and ready to use by trained professionals. However, access to it is still a fantasy in Brazil.

Digital radiography and anesthesia, high-resolution scanners and CT scans Today we guarantee a better diagnosis and more predictable and aggressive treatment plans. The skill of the dentist will always be the guide for follow-up and procedures, but it is undeniable that, in the past two decades, we have witnessed a massive change in dentistry.

We have been able to be less intrusive and more conservative, i.e. preserving rather than replacing nature, making interventions more permanent. This dental preservation bias keeps teeth longer and healthier, with less wear and tear. Technology-guided surgeries are also more accurate and faster, with far more post-operative satisfaction than 20 years ago.

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Digital imaging allows for a complete analysis of the face and modern scanners improve image capture and replace the impression materials a dentist uses to make a patient’s mouth mold. This provides a more reliable picture of the oral cavity.

a Survey It is a new technology in Brazil. It produces a digital image that guides us in various procedures, such as placing porcelain veneers or bite plates for those suffering from bruxism. With traditional molding paste, it took us about 10 minutes to get this “frame”. With the scanner only two minutes.

Another benefit for the patient is that the scanner has a system that identifies, with the help of infrared rays, decay Between the teeth, which are usually only recognized by radiography.

This device, allied to tomography, allows you to make an acrylic guide for the mouth, embodied with a 3D printer for guidance surgeries And zero margin of error in the procedures. I think that in the near future all surgeries will be directed in this way.

In this context, we also have computerized digital anesthesia, where the same system doses the amount of anesthesia that will be administered in a strategic and painless manner.

Moreover, the device itself X ray It evolved with the digital process. With the traditional machine, it takes half a second to one minute to take the x-ray, which is a short period. But with the new technology, it takes only 0.08 seconds, which allows the examination to be performed on pregnant women (after the third month of pregnancy) and children, for example.

Finally, the Electronic medical record It allows all patient data to be stored in the cloud. With this, we can access this information throughout the entire dental care journey, anywhere in the world, and share it with other colleagues and with multidisciplinary teams.

However, as we evolve, these technologies are still really expensive and require investments and training across the country. This is what I discussed in the Digital Dentistry lecture: Fact or Fiction? Where are we now”, presented in the past International Dental Congress of São Paulo (CIOSP).

Taking into account the social issue, where a large part of the population depends on public service or cheap clinics, we know that there are restrictions on access and investments that will be reflected in the citizen’s pocket. But we believe and work so that these innovations will be available to everyone in the coming years.

* Fernando Pereira Pasteur is a dental surgeon, master of implantology, and prosthodontist