There are so many reasons to give thanks this season: Friends, family and health, for example. As dentists in Ballantyne, we can’t help but to also give thanks for the many advancements that have made our industry safer and better.
Not too long ago, a cavity would mean missing a tooth or having a wooden one in its place! Fortunately, we have evolved past that. Take, for example, these advancements for which we give thanks:
The Tools
When you walk into a dentist office today, you see familiar sights: an automated chair and electric toothbrush, for example. In the 1700s, patients may have seen something called a “dental foot engine.” This is pretty much as frightening as it sounds. The dentist or the dentist’s assistant would use a foot pedal to turn a drill that would clean out a patient’s cavity. The downside, of course, is that the process then took much longer than it does now. On a positive note, the dentist sure got a workout!
The Research
Now, more than ever, we know so much about the mouth. We can detect cavities, gum disease and cancer at the earliest stages to reduce the chances of major issues down the road. When those problems do pop up, we have cutting-edge treatment methods that increase the likelihood of a healthier future.
X-Rays
It could take 30 minutes for a dentist to get a picture of your teeth 100 years ago. And just think: you would have to stand still the entire time! Now, it only takes a few seconds for us to grab a picture that shows us all the inner workings of your mouth.
Fillings and Veneers That Match Your Teeth
Thanks to all the advancements in cosmetic dentistry, we can now give you the smile you want! No longer do you need to have dark-colored fillings peeking out from the inside of your mouth. We can use realistic implants and veneers and fillings that match the color of your natural teeth.
A Comfortable Process
Back in the day, an anesthetic was little more than gripping someone’s arm or taking a swig of whiskey before undergoing a dental procedure. Today we can administer local anesthetics and use nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) to help keep our patients comfortable. In fact, now many procedures are virtually pain-free!
We hope you are as thankful for these developments as we are!
