From home entertainment to public transportation, every major industry has inventions that completely change the game. Popular examples include the way Netflix revolutionized the way people watch movies and how Uber made it far more convenient and affordable to get a ride when you need one.
The dental industry is no different. Researchers and dentists are constantly introducing new products to improve some aspect of dental treatment, but only a few of these become successful. The ones that do become complete game changers, often rendering the treatments that came before obsolete. Discover three dental treatments that completely revolutionized dentistry across the globe.
The Mark of a Revolutionary Product
The roots of any superior product begin with the flaws in previous versions of it. For example, the problems that resulted from the previous main treatment for sleep apnea, the CPAP mask, resulted in a far more comfortable and affordable option: Oral appliances.
The Product Must Solve a Problem
The most essential trait of a new product that makes life easier for doctors and patients is simply that it solves a common problem. Common is a key word here. If it’s a problem that very few people deal with, then the product may not receive the widespread demand that it deserves. Ultimately, if new products are capable of solving an issue that many people relate to, they stand a much stronger chance of becoming popular and successful.
New Products Can Improve Upon a Process
In addition to solving problems that already exist, new products can also attain success by improving important processes. This can mean doing something quicker and safer, like in the case of digital x-rays. Whichever improvements are made, if they remove time and tedium from a common process, then they’ll be valuable to everyone involved.
Some Products Completely Revamp How Things Are Done
While some inventions become successful for their ability to improve some aspect of a previous method, others completely alter the way things are done altogether. For years, dentures were the go-to method of replacing missing teeth, and to this day, they’re still popular. However, by becoming the first restorative treatment to replace the tooth root in addition to the patient’s teeth, dental implants have entirely changed the game, and have become the new standard in tooth replacement treatment.
Three Innovative Inventions that Changed Dentistry
There are about 153,000 dentists in America, and they have an unlimited supply of patients, challenges, and feedback on the treatments they provide. After so much feedback and patient complaints on the same issues, it’s clear that many patients don’t adapt well to CPAP or that many patients hate their dentures. This data paves the way for innovative products such as these three, that have changed the way dentists throughout the world treat their patients.
How Oral Appliances Provided a Comfortable Way to Relieve Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is an inconspicuous disorder. It’s estimated that 80% of the patients who have sleep apnea don’t know it, or don’t pursue treatment for some other reason. Nonetheless, it’s serious enough to not only prevent you from getting high-quality sleep, but to cause heart disease and other life-threatening problems down the line. After being diagnosed via a sleep test, sleep apnea patients have traditionally been prescribed a CPAP mask as the main treatment.
CPAP – More Problems than it’s Worth?
It’s not a good sign when the majority of patients prescribed to use a treatment end up discarding it altogether, but such is the case with the CPAP. With complaints ranging from claustrophobia to severe discomfort, the CPAP mask isn’t always a crowd pleaser. Designed to force air into the airways of sleep apnea patients, the CPAP often leads to disappointed patients who want another solution – There had to be a better way.
The Oral Appliance Overcomes the Flaws of the CPAP
Modern dental sleep specialists like Dr. Jennifer Buchanan of San Rafael, CA have adopted a new solution to sleep apnea that patients love: An Oral Appliance. About the size of a retainer, oral appliances are a far cry from the bulky and intrusive CPAP masks. Fulfilling simple tasks, such as nudging a patient’s jaw forward to open their airway, oral appliances have proven that sleep apnea treatment can be simple, comfortable, and effective.
Why Dental Implants are the New Gold Standard in Tooth Replacement
For decades, dentures or dental bridges were the only available way to replace missing teeth. While both treatments offer increased chewing and speaking ability when compared to missing teeth, they also had some serious flaws that patients were forced to deal with. Chief among these is the fact that neither treatment stimulated the jawbone enough to prevent it from shrinking – this causes the cheeks to droop down, and patients to age beyond their years.
By Restoring the Tooth Root, Dental Implants Became the Ultimate Restorative Option
While dental implants offer many advantages over the two other restorative treatments, their success boils down to one key factor. Rather than simply adhere to the top of the gums, dental implants simulate a tooth root by completely integrating with the jawbone. This one trait provides them with superior strength, durability, and a long-lasting effect that they’re now known for.
Dental Implants Have Exclusive Benefits that Can’t be Found Elsewhere
By combining a titanium fixture with a connecting abutment and custom crown, dental implants have become superior to other restorative treatments. The only reason why every patient wouldn’t opt for dental implants boils down to availability and cost. Only 10% of dentists are qualified to undertake the surgery, so dentists who do, like Dr. Fleming from Dentistry of Nashville, are in an advantageous position to provide this remarkable procedure.
See How Invisalign Made Straightening Your Teeth Cool Again
A jagged smile is truly unfortunate because it’s rarely within our control at all. You might be a straight-A student or a world-class athlete, but neither will help your teeth grow in evenly. For many years, metal braces were the only solution to this problem. While still used and highly effective, many patients hated having a mouth full of metal that the entire world could see.
The Discreet Way to a Hollywood Smile
The invention of Invisalign opened up a new demographic of patients who always wanted to straighten their teeth but didn’t want to flash a metal smile full of bands and brackets. Consisting of aligners that are virtually invisible to onlookers, Invisalign gives patients a much more inconspicuous and comfortable way to realign their smile.
Invisalign Provides a Far More Comfortable Option than Metal Braces
The other main advantage of Invisalign is its comfort. Unlike metal braces which can potentially scratch a patient’s cheeks and cause irritation, Invisalign uses custom, clear aligners that are individualized to each patient. Plus, they’re removable so you can effortlessly eat and clean them. Many dentists offer this remarkable treatment, but few are Diamond Plus Certified providers like Dr. Stephen Grussmark in Miami, FL.
What’s the Next Invention that Will Improve Your Life?
From smartphones to self-driving cars, our world is filled with new products that are aimed at improving our quality of life. As these inventions continue to make the things we do in life faster, easier, and more comfortable, others are already being planned to replace them. The result is an unending technical revolution that works towards one goal: To make your life a little better.