Digital Dentistry, better quality of care, new skills and greater efficiency. But it also has flaws.
Medicine is one of the sectors that is experiencing a revolution thanks to the introduction of new technologies, and dentistry will not be outdone either, becoming increasingly digital.
You can feel it in the air, you can understand it by acquiring minimum knowledge of the most discussed technologies in the last three years.
The medical sector will see a real revolution.
According to Global Healthcare Market, 2020-2025 di GlobalData, the global healthcare technology market is expected to reach a value of $1.34 trillion by 2025 and something similar, obviously scaled down, can be assumed regarding the specificness of the dental sector: the market for dentistry is expected to grow up to 95 billion dollars in 2032
Digital innovations specifically in Dentistry.
From CAD software, to AI, from intraoral scanners, to 3D printing. There are various micro-areas in which, today, new technologies are available for use in dentistry.
Specifically, lets examine the impression-taking procedure, a fundamental moment for treatment, which, thanks to the introduction of intraoral scanners which generate a 3D image of the patient’s oral cavity, can give you images, data and precise sections to the tenth of a millimetre.
Among the advantages therefore, in addition to accuracy and reduction of the margin of error, digital impressions via intraoral scanner in dentistry offer greater efficiency, reducing how long you have to sit for, great ease of sharing data and images with software for production of 3D prosthetics and a significantly better experience for the patient: as it is not an invasive procedure and does not have to use pastes to obtain the matrix on which to then cast, the patient will experience this like drinking a glass of water.
However, there are some negative aspects to take into consideration.
All new technologies, whether digital and innovative tools or even hi-tech materials have very high initial costs until they are used on a large scale.
Even in the case of digital dental impressions, there are costs to deal with: the purchase of intraoral scanners, software, specific courses for correct use are elements that could make you give up.
Even having to deal with the new learning, between training, adapting, full use and correct introduction to be used even among potential dental practice professionals must not be taken for granted.
Lastly, we must not forget the maintenance of the instruments and constant updates to guarantee their correct functioning.
In conclusion, Digital or Traditional Dentistry?
We will certainly see how technology evolves and what opportunities will be created for the dental sector. We believe that innovation, when accompanied by simplicity, can be the key to the success of a product.
In this case, the benefits for the professional and patient are obvious, but on the other hand, fears and doubts are also understandable. Let’s listen and prepare, sooner or later, to welcome anything that can be improved.
