In modern society, technology has become one of the greatest influences on how we live our daily lives. Technology has also become one of the greatest influences on the practice of dentistry. Digital protocols have been shown to increase accuracy and efficiency, improving both patient outcomes and practice profitability. Furthermore, a variety of devices and software applications are improving diagnosis, allowing laboratory functions to be handled in house, streamlining practice management, and more. Whether you know that you need to acquire a technology or whether you’re just feeling the pressure to, doing the research can be a little overwhelming. In this month’s special issue on technology, Inside Dentistry has assembled specifications from the manufacturers of a range of products and organized them into charts to help you assess your options.
I was somewhat of a late adopter of digital dentistry, but since I’ve implemented digital planning, I’ve definitely seen major benefits, especially in the areas of full-arch implant treatment and the fabrication of dentures. If a patient presents with existing dentures that have become worn or damaged or with other issues affecting their function or esthetics, the use of digital denture protocols and 3D printing to correct those issues and fabricate a new set of dentures is significantly faster and more accurate than the use of fully analog methods. This month’s case report provides a great example.
In many areas, like denture fabrication, technology provides us with a digital way of doing something that we are already doing analog. In others, however, it opens the door to doing things that we could never do before. This is particularly true in the realm of diagnostics. This month’s continuing education article explores the use of quantitative percussion diagnostics (QPD). It is currently only FDA-approved to assess the micromobility of implants but is being evaluated for the diagnosis of cracks in natural teeth. Diagnosing minor cracks before they progress and the tooth breaks can be incredibly difficult, and early diagnosis improves a tooth’s prognosis. I use a QPD device in practice to test implant stability, and I’ve used it off label—to get some data, not diagnose—teeth that I suspect may be cracked, and I think the technology has great potential.
Robert C. Margeas, DDS
Editor-in-Chief, Inside Dentistry
Private Practice • Des Moines, Iowa
Adjunct Professor
Department of Operative Dentistry
University of Iowa • Iowa City, Iowa
robert.margeas@conexiant.com
