Technologies to Improve Dental Health

If there’s one field that has significantly changed over the last decade, it’s dentistry. Probably, the only thing that remains from the traditional dental office is the chair. Everything else consists of scanners, screens, lasers, and highly sophisticated tools that not only enhance the effectiveness of treatments but also improve the patient’s comfort. No one likes—or liked—going to the dentist, but technology is about to change that deep-rooted fear many of us have.

“Technological advancements have been very significant in recent years for dentistry. Among them, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing how we treat diseases and the aesthetics of the mouth and teeth,” explains Dr. Mario González-Bonilla, a dentist at SHA.

The intraoral scanner is one of the stars in modern dental offices, like those at SHA. “This scanner replaces the old method of taking dental impressions (the traditional dental paste) and provides us with much more information and tools to reach an accurate diagnosis,” the specialist explains.

“A good example would be the early diagnosis of premature dental aging, which involves dental wear at an early age, caused, among other reasons, by bruxism,” notes the SHA dentist. The scanner highlights in red the areas of the teeth that receive the most pressure and, therefore, experience the most wear. It is a key tool for treating premature dental aging.

“Thanks to the intraoral scanner, it is possible to observe and measure precisely the areas that are wearing down, allowing us to stop the damage with minimally invasive treatments,” explains González-Bonilla.

He also adds that the information provided by this tool is so detailed that it allows the patient to be monitored throughout the treatment’s progression, detecting even the slightest change and taking immediate action if necessary.