Technological advances are getting increasingly smarter. 3D printing and AI are two areas that are a hot topic today. Let’s dive in and see how these advances are starting to be applied to cosmetic dentistry.
3D printing has been around for years now but has only been used more recently in dentistry. 3D printing technology is now allowing precise and personalized solutions to create custom aligners, dentures and crowns in dental offices. The most common 3D printing technique in dentistry is SLA or stereolithography. These printers use a UV laser to cure a liquid photopolymer resin into layers. There are also other methods used for 3D printing in dentistry. Will 3D printing take over traditional manufacturing methods in the future? Some experts feel like they will due to the lower costs associated and ease of customization to a specific patient. Only time will tell if 3D printing is here to stay and will become more mainstream in cosmetic dentistry.
Artificial Intelligence is one of the most highly talked about trends in many fields, the most common being ChatGPT. But how does AI translate to dentistry? AI is helping dentists to diagnose and detect problems such as cavities, gum disease and even oral cancer early. There are several applications on the market but not much research has been proven on which ones are the best. As time goes on will there be a leader in helping to detect dental problems earlier and helping both dentists and patients save time, money and health problems?
What are your thoughts on AI and 3D printing in dentistry? Are these future tools that you feel could help your practice and patients? We’d love to open a dialog on this.
References:
https://www.advancedindiana.com/blog/top-dental-trends-2024-future-oral-health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8189864/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050924006379