Embracing a healthy dental routine including regular check ups protects individuals from becoming one of the 30% of the global population who have lost all their teeth by the time the reach their 60's and 70's, as outlined in a white paper released by the organisers of World Oral Health Day.
New technology in the dentistry world has prompted a range of exciting developments, which will be beneficial for both the patient and the dental team, allowing for more efficient and effective results across the board.
We've outlined a number of exciting developments in dentistry, which are expected to be arriving at a dentist chair near you very soon.
Engineers have been exploring applications in dentistry as nanotechnology allows them to manipulate materials at atomic and molecular level. Engineers are looking into the concept of white fillings made of nano-composite resins, which will include silica and zirconia nano-particles that match your teeth perfectly and last longer than conventional metal fillings.
The introduction of antimicrobial adhesives (comprised of carbon nanotubes) will allow a form of wearable toothpaste to be applied to the tooth, meaning that kids teeth especially, are protected against sweet drinks and treats consumed that often form decay and damage to teeth.
With the age of robotics lapping at our feet, the future will see dentifrobots that recognise and destroy pathogenic bacteria in plaque and other regions, but they do not affect approximately 500 harmless species in normal flora and thus contribute to the formation of a healthy ecosystem, according to Sule Ozak and Pelan Ozkan in a paper published in the Journal of Dentistry titled Nanotechnology and Dentistry
This will mean halitosis can be stopped by the clever dentifrobots eliminating bacteria in the mouth and giving the boot to tooth decay and gingival diseases.
A damaged or decaying tooth should not be left, even if there is no pain as it can lead to cancer of the jaw and nanotechnology has an answer in the form of quantum dots.
Using quantum dots and a combination of antibodies that are cancer-specific, dentists will apply the dots and solution to the interior of the mouth, which will lighten up to give people an early warning system should cancer be present. For more info about quantum dots and their use in modern dentistry check out this link.
As well as the exciting developments outlined above, scientists are busy studying the cichlid fish of Lake Malawi in a bid to find out how they manage to regenerate their teeth. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research supports the research published in the October 2015 journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, by scientists of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta and King’s College, London.
Studies conducted on fish and mice led these scientists to believe that epithelial tissue in the human mouth may be able to regenerate teeth. It could mean no more false teeth in the future, just grow a new set of teeth when you need them.
Healthy dental care comes down to regular dental visits and maintaining good dental hygiene in between visits. As dental emergencies occur, be sure to seek emergency dental treatment and don't delay taking care of your dental health.
For all your emergency dental, general dental and cosmetic dentistry requirements speak with the team from MGA Dental who are available 7 days for emergency dental and afterhours appointments.
Interested in finding out more about developments in dental technology? Speak with the experts from MGA Dental Gold Coast and Brisbane phone Gold Coast (07) 5539 9748 or Brisbane 07 3273 3343.
Visit our website to book your appointment online www.mgadental.com.au or email goldcoast@mgadental.com.au.
