Dec 28, 2021

Potential Dental Innovations for The Next Decade

Technology is a force that becomes more integral to our lives every day. That means innovation affects our routine more than ever. There are so many of these little changes that they can be hard to keep track of, but they are constantly renovating the tech you use and how you use it. But the tech industry isn’t the only one affected by all this innovation. There are some big changes coming to dentistry too – and they just might change the way you take care of your teeth!

3D Printing: The advent of 3D printing has revolutionized just about every industry, and dentistry is no exception. The sales of 3D printers for dentistry increased significantly in recent years, and dentists and researchers have big plans for the technology. One of the coolest 3D printing innovations in dentistry is ‘smart braces.’ An estimated 5 million people in the U.S wear braces, sometimes for more than 18 months of treatment. But innovations with 3D printing would allow for braces that contain LED lights and batteries in the brackets. These LEDs would emit light that isn’t perceptible to the eye but would enhance bone regeneration and tooth movement – potentially shrinking the time people have to wear braces. It sounds awesome, right?

Scanning Toothbrushes: Oral health companies are continuing to come up with new technology-fueled solutions to make your oral hygiene routine easier and more effective. “Smart” toothbrushes linked to mobile apps are becoming a staple in the market now. They have features like monitoring your brushing habits, highlighting areas you don’t brush, and updates and advice through a mobile app. New smart toothbrushes can even detect the plaque buildup in real-time and tell you when each tooth is clean!

One-day implants, or ‘Same Day Implants’ is a type of dental procedure, as you might expect, done in one day. Traditional implants can take weeks or even months to be set. This can leave you without your smile for lengthy periods of time, making tasks like eating and brushing very inconvenient. The lack of healing time before the dentist sets the implant can increase the chances of implant failure, but increased demand for this procedure will likely lead to new innovations in the new decade!

Holistic health proved to be a lot more than a passing fad, and it has made a lasting impact on healthcare, including dentistry. Holistic Dentistry is now commonplace worldwide – and it’s beginning to change how a lot of people view their oral health, and how they get their dental work done. Unlike the other entries on this list, holistic dentistry doesn’t necessarily innovate with technology. Instead, holistic dentists are changing how people view dentistry with the promotion and investigation of how dental health and dental procedures interact with peoples’ overall health and wellness.  

But these are just a few of the ways dentistry will be growing in the next few years. To keep up with the changes in the dental industry, check-in on the Oclean blog every once in a while! And make sure you’re prepared to get the care you need by exploring more on Oclean!