Dental technology trends to look out for in 2022

Dentistry is constantly evolving with new technology and treatments being developed all the time. As technology continues to advance and the dental industry grows, new techniques, products and systems will be developed with equal fervour and momentum.

Here are some dental technology trends that are expected to emerge in 2022 – some more predictable than others.

3D Printing

3D printing technology is already being used in dentistry and is expected to become even more popular in the coming years. The global dental market for 3D printing is estimated to grow at a CAGR of more than 10% between 2022-2026. Other projections peg it to reach US$7.22B by 2028.

Today, 3D printers are used in every sphere imaginable, including dentistry. They are used to make 3D models of teeth and crowns so that they can be printed on a patient’s tooth or a crown, which is then bonded onto the tooth. There are 3D printers that can print both porcelain and metal, as well as dental crowns. They are used in a wide range of industries, from the fashion industry to engineering.

At present, 3D printers are mostly used to fabricate simple mouthguards and prosthetic restorations based on the 3D image of the teeth and gums. The dentist is able to design the tooth digitally using a CAD design software, then transfer computer file to a 3D printer to print out the finished product.

A similar design system is used in orthodontics to mould custom-made retainers and splints. 3D printers are also used to print all types of high precision surgical tools including dental implant products such as the titanium implant screws and drill guides.

The benefits of implementing in-house 3D printing represents enormous cost savings for the dentist. A high-end model of a 3D printer costs about US$30,000, and prices are getting cheaper as the technology matures. Just compare this to incorporating CAD/CAM technology within the clinic. That could easily set you back US$100,000 – $150,000 a year, if you simply amortised the cost of the milling machine and included running costs of employing skilled technical staff and regular maintenance expenses.

That 3D printers are becoming more sophisticated, easier to use cheaper, just adds to their appeal. Some market analysts are predicting that if 3D printers were to go mainstream in the dental sphere, dental labs may go the way of the dinosaur.

Examples of Dental 3D printers: Asiga Pro 4K, Planmeca Creo C5, ProJet MJP 3600 Dental.

Augmented reality

With all the buzz surrounding Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and the Metaverse in general, you can hardly discuss current dental industry trends without giving at least one of them a mention.

Augmented reality refers to the integration of computers, mobile devices, and the real world. It is a form of digital information that has been added to the existing physical environment. This can be used in dentistry to provide instant access to patient records, dental treatments and other medical treatment options, whether on or off site.

The technology works by creating a digital overlay or extension of the real world. As the name suggests, it can be used to augment reality by creating virtual images, sounds or other sensory data that augment what you see in the physical world or provide new insights into it.

The immersive quality of AR applications is what will potentially transform the lives of dentists and patients alike. Imagine a patient slipping on a pair of AR glasses at home and immediately able to view 3D models of teeth, as if they are right in front of his, being manipulated in real-time by a dentist, explaining his or her treatment plan. Meanwhile, dental undergraduates get to practice on their models using a tablet or smart device, in the comfort of their home.

From AR-based training courses to helping dental patients visualise their cosmetic procedures vividly in 3D space, the future of AR dentistry is virtually limitless, bound only by the stretch of our imagination.

Examples of dental AR applications:

Plattar: This cloud-based platform is said to aid in the creation of AR product visualisations and 3D experiences without the need for coding experience. Users can import assets, create 3D products or even complex scenes in an intuitive content management system.

The Super Dentists: This Vivarra dental app can be downloaded from Apple App Store or Google Play to place super-hero 3D characters Like Dr. Have One Super Smile, The Tooth Keri, Cavitar, Molar and MeloD in the middle of a dental clinic – it only works in six locations of The Super Dentists clinics in the US. When the characters come to live, kids can take photos with them or record a video like they are right there in the flesh.

Artificial Intelligence

We’re living in an era where the exponential growth of the data-centric healthcare industry is coinciding with A.I. technology’s coming of age.

What this means for the future of dentistry is something to behold. We all know that Artificial Intelligence feeds off and thrives on data. Until recently, we have been sitting on mountains of research, treatment and patient data with few ideas of how to harness it for diagnostic or therapeutic use.

Today’s AI-based smart algorithms can develop machine learning methods to effectively crunch and analyse the data – which is accumulating at breakneck speeds thanks to faster computer chips and bigger bandwidths. This in turn can produce AI tools with the ability to diagnose, predict, and detect with incredible speed and accuracy.

Already, studies have shown that machine-learning algorithms are outperforming dentists in caries detection, and better at predicting whether a tooth should be treated, saved or extracted. They can even help specialists determine the survival chance of an oral cancer patient, by providing insights into the metastasizing of – and resistance – to oral cancer cells.

Machine learning algorithms analyse digital impressions to provide AI-enabled orthodontic treatment planning solutions and several other future-oriented uses.

At the rate things are trending, it won’t be long before Artificial Intelligence become an indispensable facet of everyday dental care.

Laser dentistry

Lasers are becoming increasingly popular in Asian dental practices for a variety of reasons. The chief reason is that lasers can do much of the work for dentists. They are more energy efficient, produce a higher quality of result and are preferred by many patients.

While laser dentistry has been around since the 1960s, they are currently being picked up by general dentists to perform a broad range of general, cosmetic and restorative treatments.

Applications span from preparing cavities in teeth without anaesthetic to sleep apnoea treatment, single-visit root canals to treating periodontitis and peri-implantitis.

In the cosmetic realm, they can be used for anything from gingival recontouring to crown lengthening; functional smile rehabilitation to facial aesthetics. They are also great for restorative treatment, surgical extractions, subgingival preparations, soft tissue surgery, periodontal treatment, photobiomodulation, and more.

With lasers, even routine dental care treatments like filling of cavities that used to involve painful procedures are now minimally invasive. Not only can pointing a beam of focused light eliminate cavities with little or no pain, it has the added advantage of killing bacteria effectively in the cavity – dramatically reduces the risk of complications.

That alone should illustrate the trajectory of dental lasers. Until patients discover en masse the holy grail of painless dentistry thanks to the use of dental lasers, we can only predict mainstream adoption as a matter of time, trends and opportunity.

Examples of laser products: Fotona Lightwalker, Waterlase IPlus and NV Microlaser.

Teledentistry

Teledentistry is no longer just a way to solve the dental industry conundrum of providing oral care access to patients in remote or rural locations. The pandemic has brought to bear the significance of this technology in facilitating dentist-patient communication and even between the doctors themselves.

Dentists are beginning to google the following questions: Should I add teledentistry to my suite of treatment options? How do I make it happen? What kind of set-up is required for the dental office? 

The good news is, patients are not only getting comfortable with the idea of an online consultation, they are expecting it.

Teledentistry is now one of the steps dentists must consider on their way to mitigating the risks of cross infection while improving patient care access and experience. This way, you have tightened up the pre-screening process while ensuring that in-office visits are reserved for patients that really need the treatment. You build patient confidence and everyone is safer for it.

As the technology advances, you can expect teledentistry to streamline treatment planning and even treatments. For example, a mobile hygienist may perform some procedures like fluoride treatment onsite with a patient, while a collaborative dentist performs an oral exam over a secured 5G network.

Many of these scenarios are already being tested and implemented. Professional dental workflows are being ironed out and refined. For example, Teledent is a cloud-based Teledentistry application software that is said to create seamless clinical workflows, including live virtual consults as well as optimised virtual treatment plans communication utilising shared screens and videos.