Are dental digital xrays just a fad, or are they the “next wave” of dental care? About one in every three dental offices in America has switched over to dental digital xrays, and experts predict that the vast majority of dentists will offer digital xrays within the next 10 years. Using a much lower dose of radiation than traditional xrays along with a small “computer sensor,” dentists are generally able to obtain a clearer picture of patients’ teeth.
New dental technologies — dental digital xrays in particular — can benefit patients who need to have their dental records transferred to a new doctor. Dental cleanings and dental exams can be conducted more quickly, doctors report, now that they do not have to wait for xray films to be developed.
The field of dentistry has benefited overall from the introduction of new technology in the past decade; tooth whitening procedures have become more affordable for dental consumers, and the widespread use of thin dental veneers to correct cosmetic dysfunction has resulted in an overall increase in satisfaction among dental patients, experts report.
Most people firmly believe that finding a dentist who can fix their smile is very important; while career success may not depend directly on the quality of a person’s smile, social success may increase substantially when small dental imperfections are corrected. Dental veneers and other types of dentures may help boost confidence, which can lead directly to success.
As dental technologies continue to advance, cosmetic dentistry and at-home tooth whitening products should continue to post impressive gains: currently, tooth whitening products generate more than $1 billion in profit every year. Most dental patients who contract for cosmetic dental procedures spend more than $5,000 and are over 40 years of age, experts report.
Dental digital xrays can also be used to track deterioration in a patient’s teeth: the digital record can be “played backward” to see what kind of damage has been done over time, or to see the results of dental surgery or cosmetic care. With dentist reviews widely available online, dental patients have a greater opportunity to choose more technologically-advanced standards of care. Will the entire dental industry begin to use digital xrays? Experts say yes, and dental patients seem to be following suit.
