Page 26 - Inspire Health March/April 2017

Sci-fi sounding

technology is

rapidly reshaping the

face of dental care

By Patrick O’Donnell

Lasers to repair your teeth. Wi-Fi
and auto-adjustments built right
into the dentist’s chair. Computer-
assisted design and manufacturing of
crowns, bridges and implants.
Welcome to the future of oral
health care.
In this special Inspire Health dental
section, we’ll explore some of the cutting-
edge technology that’s significantly altering
how dentists perform their work. Take the
aforementioned lasers, for example. No,
we’re not talking Han Solo’s blaster here
— these are diode lasers, which more
closely resemble the device used in a DVD
player than in a sci-fi flick.
That’s not to say the technology
doesn’t have a distinctly sci-fi feel. Diode
lasers can be used to clean cavities before
they’re filled, eliminating the need for a
drill (and reducing discomfort). They also
can detect tiny cavities that may have
otherwise been missed: the lasers make
the decaying teeth glow — the more
decay, the brighter the glow.
Lasers can also be used on soft tissue
in the mouth — for instance, during gum

26 INSPIRE HEALTH March · April 2017