How 3D printing is revolutionizing dentistry
It is fair to say that dentistry has evolved since its introduction. The integration of technology is fueling this evolution in branches of medical sciences such as dentistry.
We know technology and applying science to make life easier. Thus, the integration of technology in dentistry has made life in this field more accessible and faster while pushing the field to constantly evolve.
The change that technology brings to a domain does not stop as it always looks for ways to optimize the previous solutions it has come up with to develop a better and more effective solution.
This push in technology has led to the development of various methods and solutions to help better understand how oral health works, the factors affecting oral health, and how to treat oral health problems.
The application of technology in dentistry can be seen through the various equipment and devices that dentists can use to increase their diagnostic efficiency and offer excellent solutions to dental problems. Some of these technology applications include digital x-rays, 3D printing devices, and modeling machines.
One of the various dentists who have testified to how technology has improved dentistry is a local Clifton dentist, Dr. Leary. He cited how technology has benefited dentistry, primarily by introducing 3D dental printers.
This article will focus on what 3D dental printing is and how it has benefited dentistry and dentists over the years. Read on for more information.
What is 3D dental impression?
Similar to regular printers except that they print high definition images of the teeth and oral system. These images give the dentist a clearer picture of a patient’s dentition, allowing them to make more accurate and informed diagnoses about the problem that is affecting the patient’s dental health and get an accurate solution to the problem.
How does 3D printing work?
This form of technology works by using sensors to capture an exact image of a patient’s teeth, the image is then printed or displayed digitally on a monitor. The displayed image is then printed for use in creating analysis models, designing a custom prosthesis for a patient, and deciphering the extent of damage to a patient’s dental health.
Benefits of 3D printing in dentistry
It is essential to note that dentistry is not the only part where dentistry is applied as it is used in other medical fields. However, the focus is on oral health; Here are some of the ways this technology has benefited dentistry:
1. Improving the quality of dental products: Before the advent of 3D printing in dentistry, traditional methods involved the manual manufacture of dental products; thus, the chances of producing contaminated products were high.
This is because the entire process of making the products, from processing the raw materials used in production to the actual modeling, was very difficult, and the craftsmen were prone to making mistakes.
Therefore, the resulting products will have a large number of average products. However, these factors are controlled by 3D printing which reduces the risk of producing contaminated products.
2. Faster and more accurate dental services: The traditional methods then used in the provision of dental services require different phases before the results can be obtained, from examination to image processing to diagnosis. Each phase required a specific amount of time before results could be achieved.
This process was very time consuming and the risk of error was increased. However, 3D printing performs the same phase protocols for dental services in a faster timeframe. Since he used the specs and dimensions he scanned, the results and imagery were more accurate.
3. A better patient experience: From the above benefits, we can deduce that the dental service experience was demanding for the practitioners and very uncomfortable for the patients as they ended up spending more time before they could solve their dental problem.
However, the experience has been very different since the adoption of 3D printing as the drawbacks of traditional methods are minimized, resulting in a more convenient experience for patients.
4. Save money: This is a two-way benefit as dentists save money by not employing a lot of labor (as they typically do when using traditional services to achieve more fast) and require a smaller workspace.
For the client, expenses for the dentist translate into reduced service charges; thus, patients pay less for the dentist’s services.
Nice gift
3D printing can be considered a great gift for medical science, especially when it comes to the field of dentistry. This article has discussed some of these benefits and their impacts in the field.
