How New Orthodontic Technology Is Changing Treatment for Dentists

Orthodontics is a constantly evolving field that is currently making huge strides toward achieving the goal of offering reliable and fast treatment for all patients. Orthodontic technology plays a significant role in the evolution of this type of care. To provide the best results for patients, dentists must be able to keep up with the advances in the field. 

Orthodontic technology for dentists helps make every treatment more efficient and accurate. This allows you to improve patient outcomes, which inevitably increases satisfaction. Taking advantage of new technology also makes it possible to expand your services. 

Here’s a closer look at the importance of knowing and using new orthodontic technology in your practice. 

Digital Treatment Planning Improves Precision

Digital orthodontics tools can be invaluable in a dental practice. What previously required a long and uncomfortable process involving goopy materials to create a dental mold can now be done in a matter of seconds with digital imaging. Scanning technology takes images of the exact layout of a patient’s teeth and other oral structures. 

With these images, a 3D printer can create an exact retainer or aligner. The precision is unequaled. Patients can get a comfortable fit that provides targeted treatment without needing numerous refitting procedures.  

Aside from offering better-fitting appliances, digital treatments go one step further: they improve patient outcomes by offering more detailed visualizations of what the problem is. This allows dentists to provide more accurate treatment, leading to predictable results. 

Custom Appliances and 3D Printing 

Orthodontic technology also includes 3D printing. Instead of patients needing to wait weeks for their dental device to be printed by a lab, they can leave the appointment with their appliance the same day. 

With 3D printing in orthodontics, a patient can receive an appliance that fits perfectly in their mouth. It is much easier to create custom retainers and aligners when there is a 3D printer in the office that can quickly update the design and fit based on digital imaging. 

Smarter Brackets and Monitoring Tools 

Braces don’t have to be uncomfortable, but all too often, they are. One of the reasons for this is that the brackets don’t always fit as they should. 

The latest bracket technology makes these components smaller. Also, many rely on heat-activated archwires that offer much gentler adjustments to a patient’s teeth. The continuous and more precise pressure even helps reduce soreness. 

There are smart brackets, too. They monitor the amount of force placed on the teeth at any given time. This allows dentists to make adjustments as needed. 

Additionally, modern brackets often have antibacterial, nanotechnology-based coatings that reduce the accumulation of plaque during the treatment process. Patients can avoid the risk of tooth decay and gum disease much more easily this way. 

Remote monitoring orthodontic technology can also help detect when a tooth doesn’t move as expected. That close monitoring allows the dentist to make changes to the treatment without wasting any time. 

Monitoring technology helps dentists make the most of chairside time as well. Since remote monitoring is possible, what would once have required scheduling the patient to come to the clinic can now be done virtually. 

Increased Efficiency and Patient Experience 

Being able to rely on the latest technologies for virtual checks and provide custom appliances much more rapidly inherently improves the patient experience. Patients don’t have to go through a series of visits and deal with dental clay to obtain a mold. 

Patients tend to trust practices that invest in the latest tools. These investments inspire confidence and assure people that the dentist and their assistants have kept up with their training. 

Increased efficiency is not important solely for patients, either. The entire team can benefit from faster processes. Fewer chairside visits will be needed, opening up more time for new patients. This translates into more revenue for your clinic and higher levels of employee satisfaction. That can go a long way toward improving staff retention. 

Improving Your Practice With Guidance From the American Orthodontic Society

Orthodontic technology is helping to transform the field every day. The processes that used to require at least two appointments can now be condensed, helping both patients and dentists make the most of their time. 

To use the latest technologies correctly, however, it’s important to keep up with the training that makes using these tools possible. At the American Orthodontic Society, we can assist you in finding the right continuing education (CE) credits so that you can offer the highest quality of care to your patients. 

Whether you’re looking to improve your holistic approach to orthodontic care or you would like to know more about the latest technological advances, our team is happy to guide you. Ready to get started? Check out our array of courses today.