About 10 years ago, Dr. Scott Munsinger started using a new system of laser technology in nearly every aspect of his dental practice.
He reworked his entire office around the idea of using lasers to remove decay, treat gums and other soft tissue, and do maintenance and restorative work without having to give someone a shot.
Today, he uses the latest generation of a system that can fix teeth without vibration, heat or pain.
“It totally changes people’s perception about going to the dentist,” said Munsinger of Smiles at Remington Pointe.
“Dentistry is not like it used to be.
It doesn’t have to be painful.”
Technical advances in dentistry have changed the way that dental offices treat and communicate with patients, said Paul Knecht, executive director of the South Dakota Dental Association.
The dental field is one where new materials and techniques come out every year to make it easier for dentists to deliver care in a faster, more comfortable way, he said.
Modern dental offices might offer lasers for diagnosis and treatment or milling machines that create crowns during an office visit, Knecht said.
There are new intraoral cameras the size of a pin and digital X-ray systems that are making care more sophisticated and efficient.
All the options mean dentists must work hard to keep on top of the latest technology and then decide if it’s worth it to invest in new equipment that could cost thousands of dollars, he said.
“It’s a huge investment, and I’d say it’s a business decision and a dentist has to look at ‘How much will it increase my efficiency,’ ” said Knecht, whose organization represents roughly 450 dentists, 95 percent of those practicing in the state.
“Will I get a return on this new piece of equipment that I can invest in?”
Early adapters: After using digital X-rays, charting and intraoral cameras, Dr. Adam Holecek with Designer Dentistry & Smiles can’t imagine returning to the old way of doing things.
One of the major benefits is being able to show patients video images of their teeth right away to help explain the problem he is trying to fix.
“It’s a really great educational tool,” Holecek said.
“Once you go down the road and you use the technology and patients approve it, it would be hard to go back.”
Holecek said he uses technology to help connect with other dentists.
He is a member of an online forum with thousands of other dentists and appreciates being able to bounce ideas and share solutions with colleagues across the country.
Munsinger said he would have difficulty practicing without having laser technology to do routine care at his office.
Although the systems are expensive – running as much as $50,000 to $100,000 – they’ve almost eliminated the need for anesthesia.
He can do types of fillings, root canals and gum surgery that would have been unthinkable in the past.
“If it’s easier and faster and more comfortable for the patient, everybody’s happy and I’m happy,” Munsinger said.
“There a lot of things you can spend money on, but if they’re not faster and better for patients, you don’t do it.”
When Dr. Zachary Beecroft opened First Class Dental Care, he opted for technology in his office but also took a high-tech approach to decorating the office.
A private pilot, he set up his exam room like a first-class cabin, installing a backlit ceiling with graphic art that includes a view of the sky and world maps.
“People will say they love to sit in first class,” Beecroft said.
“I get comments that people say this is as close to first class as they’re going to get.”
Beecroft is working on his national accreditation in implant dentistry and uses a process called cone beam computed tomography, or CBCT scanning, to do his own digital design with implants.
There is rising interest in implant dentistry because of an aging population that wants to avoid dentures, he said.
“Implants can change people’s lives,” Beecroft said.
“That area of dentistry is going to do nothing but grow.”
Dr. Holly VanHofwegen sees similar growth potential.
She went from working in the military, where there tended to be a lag in the time it took to acquire new technology, to Pillar Dental, an office that invested early on with digital imaging equipment and machinery that allowed for computer-generated crowns.
Instead of having to schedule patients for multiple visits, she can create crowns, veneers and onlays in a single visit.
“You have the same person fitting the crown as is doing the preparation, which is ideal,” VanHofwegen said.
“It’s convenient for patients, and we get great results with it.”
VanHofwegen said she’s seen an evolution in both technology and patient demands.
While physical appearance has always been important, improvements such as veneers and tooth-colored fillings are standard care.
And older patients are keeping their teeth healthier for longer.
Dentists are willing and able to embrace the latest standards of care, but they also want to see that what they’re doing is backed up by strong scientific research and that there’s a long-term need for the technology, she said.
“Sometimes you sit back and wait and see what is important,” VanHofwegen said.
Pediatric dentistry develops: In the area of children’s dentistry, the new technology is creating a generation of children who don’t expect pain at the dentist’s office and are not afraid to go in for regular care, said Dr. Scott Weyers of Children’s Dental Center.
“Distraction is a great technique to use,” Weyers said. “We have television sets in every chair.
They get to watch movies. It’s definitely different than it was when I was a kid.”
Pediatric dentists are always looking for new ways to treat their patients better, Weyers said, adding that he is frequently reading journals or looking at presentations on new technology.
“I bet we get more mail than anyone else in the world,” Weyers said.
“There are magazines and journals and products, always something coming out with new materials that looks promising.”
By comparison to some other areas of medicine, dentists usually are quick to understand the benefits of technological advances and incorporate new materials and techniques into their practices, said Steve Keough, founder and CEO of pharma Cline, a Sioux Falls-based biotechnology company.
“Dentists are more like orthopedic surgeons.
They work with their hands and with the newest gear,” said Keough, whose company has a division that focuses on new dental technology.
“They’re relatively comfortable with innovative new tools and devices, as long as the studies are there.”
