Digital dentistry

Digital dentistry refers to the use of dental technologies or devices that incorporates digital or computer-controlled components to carry out dental procedures rather than using mechanical or electrical tools. The use of digital dentistry can make carrying out dental procedures more efficient than using mechanical tools, both for restorative as diagnostic purposes. 'Godfather' of Digital Dentistry is the French professor François Duret, who invented dental CAD/CAM in 1973.

Digital Dentistry Technologies

Some of the technologies used in digital dentistry include:

• Intra-oral Cameras
• CAD/CAM
  • Computer-aided implant dentistry — including design and fabrication of surgical guides
• 3D Printing (e.g. to print physical models of digital images taken with intra-oral scans, make appliances, temporaries, surgical guides)
• Digital radiography (intraoral and extraoral, including cone beam computed tomography (CBCT))
• Electric and surgical/implant handpieces
• Photography (extraoral and intraoral)
• Practice and patient record management software — including digital patient education
• Shade matching
• Diagnodent
• Dental lasers
• The Wand- used to carry anesthesia
• Digital X-Rays
• Dental Loupes

Intra-Oral Cameras

X-rays have been extremely valuable for many years in assessments of oral health. However, at times the image produced can show limited information because it is only a 2D image. Intra-oral cameras (IOCs) allow an operator to see a clear image of the inside of the mouth. Similar to the size of a dental mirror IOCs have a tiny camera that is able to detect more on the 3D surface of a tooth than a 2D x-ray image is able to show. Examples include specific locations and sizes of cavities, cracked teeth, excessive erosion, abrasion and many more.

Conventional dental impressions are made by placing an impression material loaded on an impression tray over the dental arches. As it sets a negative imprint of the soft and hard tissues in the mouth. Digital intra-oral impressions made using intra-oral cameras are able to recreate the positive impression of a patient's dentition and other structures into a digital format on a computer almost instantly.

CAD/CAM in Dentistry

Through a study on both direct an indirect dental restorations facilitated by digitization, it was concluded that a simnifically better marginal fit was observed. The fit and efficiency of fully ceramic restorations fabricated through CAD/CAM were evaluated through a double-blinded randomized cynical trial was observed. The digital impression technique was more accurate, time efficient for both the dentist and patient in comparison with conventional methods.

Use of Dental Technology in Other Areas of Dentistry

Within the dental profession there are already uses for digital dentistry and as technology continues to develop, proposed uses for the futures. Some examples are outlined below;

Limitations

Limitations on digital dentistry include cost, lack of desire to adapt to new dental technology, and misunderstanding of new technologies.