What You Should Know About Digital Dentistry

Dentists of the 18th and 19th centuries who used turnkeys, bow drills, and forceps would be astonished to see today’s advances in digital dentistry.

Built on a foundation of such advanced technologies and tools as digital radiography, intraoral scanners, computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), and 3D printing, digital dentistry is rapidly redefining how dental professionals work. It’s also improving the outcomes patients experience.

At Penn Dental Family Practice (PDFP), we’re taking full advantage of digital technologies to deliver advanced, exceptional care to our patients. Keep reading for a brief overview of what digital dentistry makes possible and how it can benefit you and your smile.

What Is Digital Dentistry?

Digital dentistry is the use of digital technologies and computerized tools to optimize and streamline dental procedures and workflows, and to improve treatment outcomes.

It encompasses a wide range of technologies and applications:

Digital Radiography and Imaging

Digital radiography and imaging uses sensors or a phosphor plate system to capture high-resolution images of the teeth and supporting structures.

This technology’s instantaneous processing of and ability to manipulate images, such as adjusting contrast or zooming in on specific areas, greatly assist dental professionals in diagnosing oral health issues and developing comprehensive treatment plans.

Additionally, digital radiography in dentistry lowers patients’ exposure to radiation. It’s environmentally friendly because it doesn’t require chemical processing. And it can play a major role in patient education, letting dentists visually communicate issues and recommended treatments.

Intraoral Scanning

Intraoral scanners capture highly accurate digital impressions of teeth, which in turn serve as the foundation for many restorative dental processes.

Digital impressions in dentistry get rid of the need for traditional dental impressions. They offer patients a more comfortable experience, eliminating the discomfort and unpleasant sensations associated with plaster, paste, or wax in trays.

Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM)

CAD/CAM systems are a dramatic example of precision digital dentistry. They allow for the exact creation of crowns, bridges, and other restorations directly from digital dental impressions.

Laboratory technicians benefit from CAD/CAM systems because they reduce the likelihood of human error. They also make for more accurate calibration during manufacturing.

CAD/CAM technology greatly reduces the time between diagnosis and treatment. It can even make same-day restorations possible.

3D Printing in Dentistry

Using 3D printing, dental professionals can make dental appliances and prosthetics directly from digital impressions. This technology is a rapid, cost-effective way to produce crowns, bridges, orthodontic models, and surgical guides, all customized for individual patients’ mouths.

What Are the Key Benefits of Digital Dentistry?

The comprehensive benefits of digital dentistry make it an important asset in advancing the dental profession and providing superior patient care.

Improved Accuracy and Efficiency

Digital impression systems and intraoral scanners eliminate the need for traditional molds, which can take a long time and are prone to inaccuracies. The precision digital dentistry offers means dental professionals can create custom-fit restorative solutions with minimal corrections.

Integrating milling machines and 3D printing technologies in dental labs allows for quick, precise manufacturing of appliances, reducing turnaround time.

Additionally, because digital files can be stored for decades, remaking such prostheses as dentures on short notice—for example, if a patient needs replacements—is much easier.

Enhanced Patient Education and Communication

Thanks to digital imaging in dentistry, patients can better understand their oral health conditions and the treatment plans their dentists propose. Dentists can present detailed digital impressions and radiographic images to patients, helping them understand their treatments more thoroughly.

Digital dentistry also allows for closer communication and collaboration with laboratory technologists, leading to enhanced treatment outcomes. Patients can see what the results will look like before they begin any treatment.

The transparency digital dentistry provides also encourages patients’ informed decision-making, increasing their comfort levels and confidence in suggested treatments.

Increased Patient Satisfaction

Digital dentistry improves patients’ experience in several ways:

• Because it streamlines processes, it minimizes wait time and reduces the time patients spend in the dental chair.
• Because it delivers more accurate diagnostic information and facilitates tailored treatment plans, it improves the success of dental restorations and other procedures.
• Because it is less invasive, it contributes to a more pleasant experience at the dental office.
• Because it increases the predictability of treatment outcomes, it fosters trust between patients and their dentists, ultimately leading to long-term loyalty and satisfaction.

Discover the Digital Difference at Penn Dental Family Practice

As you now understand, digital dentistry gives both dentists and their patients plenty to smile about. You can discover for yourself the difference it makes when you visit PDFP.

At both of our convenient Philadelphia offices, you’ll find our team of experienced professionals using digital tools and technologies to deliver precise, efficient, and cost-effective dental care. We’ve added new scanners and computers at each facility, doubling our digital capability.

Our general dentists and specialists alike benefit from the speed, accuracy, and clarity that digital dental technologies offer. Such common treatments as single crowns, onlays, inlays, bridges, mouthguards, and clear orthodontic aligners all now routinely involve digital tools and procedures.

PDFP prosthodontist Dr. Nupur Patel, for example, uses digital systems for all prosthodontic procedures. “We really have the power to change people’s lives with every tool possible. I can ensure improved patient comfort and more predictable treatment outcomes using the available digital dentistry resources at PDFP. I use the intraoral scanner for almost every appointment, from diagnostics to treatment. Digital smile design has improved the way I plan my cases, and my patients get a snapshot of their outcome before any treatment begins. This is very powerful in treatment understanding and acceptance.”

Experience the future of dentistry today. Schedule your appointment online or call us at 215-898-PDFP (7337).