New Technologies In Dentistry: How They Can Help You And The Environment

When you are a person who is concerned about your carbon footprint and the environmental impact you have in your daily life, you want every company and business you associate with to have the same concerns and values that you have. This includes your medical and dental care providers. As such, you may find yourself wondering about the environmental impact that your dentist has and how you can be sure that you have chosen a dentist that embraces your values. New dental technologies can help to reduce the negative environmental impact that dental care can have as well as improve your experience at your dentist's office. Get to know more about some of these new technologies and how they can help.

Digital X-Rays to Replace Traditional X-Rays

X-rays are one of the dental office practices that can have one of the biggest environmental impacts. Traditional x-rays use a great deal of energy as well as several disposable pieces that are placed in the mouth, not to mention radioactive materials in the machine and the film used to print the x-ray images. This can add up to a large environmental impact. 

However, digital x-rays reduce this impact substantially. Digital x-rays use less radiation and less energy to create higher quality images than traditional x-rays can produce. Additionally, digital x-ray images are transmitted directly to a computer or tablet to be read almost immediately. This helps to speed the process and also reduces some of the environmental impact by eliminating the need for printed copies.

CAD and CAM Systems For Dental Replacements and Repairs

CAD and CAM systems are computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing systems that are used to create tooth replacements and repairs such as veneers, caps, implants and the like to fix dental injuries and cosmetic issues. These systems eliminate several steps in the process to get these repairs and replacements completed. 

The dentist can take digital images of your teeth as they are and load them into their CAD systems. The software allows the dentist to create a digital rendering of your dental prosthesis to give you an idea of what it will look like and to tweak the design. Once the image is right, the design is sent directly to the 3-D printer or the lab to be manufactured.

This process allows you to have your dental prosthesis designed and placed in one visit. The use of digital transmission and design cuts down on waste as does the fact that you will be able to do in one appointment what would otherwise take several. You will, therefore, use less gas to drive back and forth, which helps to reduce environmental impacts.

Now that you know a few of the newer technologies in dentistry that can help make your experiences better at your dentist and to help improve the environmental impact of any and all dental visits you make, you can work to ensure you go to a dentist that embraces these technologies. And if your current dentist does not yet do so, you can encourage them to try these new technologies and make their dental practice a green one. Contact a company like Alegre Dental and Braces for more information.

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