The advancing technology has brought about many changes in surgery, especially oral surgery. Different types of dental surgeries are coming up almost daily, some purely for cosmetic purposes. While most of these procedures require a qualified oral health surgeon, a dentist can perform some in your local clinic. These dental surgeries and techniques have made it possible for people with complex oral deformities to rectify them and restore their smiles.
One of the latest types of oral surgery is endodontics. Endodontics involves the diagnosis, surgery, and treatment of infections and injuries of the dental pulp. This treatment has evolved significantly over the years. Its applications play a major role in improving the quality of oral therapy. Another recent innovation is an apicoectomy, which involves the resection of the root tip. The root-end is removed to create a root end opening and then filled with biocompatible material. This procedure is necessary where conservative root canal treatment has failed.
In terms of technological advances in oral surgery, 3D printing is taking the lead at the moment. This technology has drastically transformed both the planning and execution of oral surgery. It has also made it possible for dentists to come up with the most effective dental implants. Using 3D printing applications, dentists can extract vital data from a patient’s dental imaging and print tailored guides for the surgery and the actual implants. Consequently, oral surgeries have become safer and accurate. This technology has further opened avenues for oral surgeries that were considered too difficult or had poor outcomes a few years ago.
The other recent introduction in oral surgery is the use of stem cells to restore oral defects. For instance, doctors have discovered different ways of using stem cells to promote healing of sockets left in the gum after tooth extraction. Other applications include periodontal regeneration, reconstruction of bone defects, mandibular distraction, sinus lift, and surgical treatment before implants. Doctors are now using stem cells to regenerate pulps of severely damaged teeth to prevent the need for endodontic treatment in elderly patients.
It has also become very easy for dentists and other professionals in the dental field to fabricate small dental implants, which was very difficult to achieve just a few years ago. Previously, the standard size of a dental implant was not less than 5mm. Now, some denturists can go as low as 3mm. The benefit of having smaller implants is that they fit in perfectly and are less noticeable. Mini dental implants are also perfect for patients who have no bone or tissue left. As the dental industry continues to advance, more innovations will emerge soon.
