There has never been a more exciting time for dental care. With innovation bringing more and more technological advances in the dental sector, it’s now easier and more affordable than ever to take control of your dental health. We’ve researched the 3 top 2020 dental trends and there are some exciting futuristic developments happening in the dental world to help you maintain a healthy smile:
- Digital prevention at home
- Digital dentistry in clinic
- Personalised dental products
Let’s dive right in and see how you can upgrade your dental health in 2020!
#1 2020 Dental Trends: Digital prevention from the comfort at home
The rise of telemedicine is providing more and more people with access to professional advice from home, making it easier for everyone to care for themselves and their families. We all know that the longer you wait to see a doctor or a dentist, the worse any issue can get. Prevention has always been better than a cure, but it’s not always easy to visit a dentist: Iit takes time to schedule an appointment and often questions or problems arise when you don’t have immediate access to your local dentist, such as in the morning maybe when brushing your teeth, a twinge at nighttime or a broken tooth on holiday. There is no easy way to get a professional opinion.
Nowadays, teledentistry models are reshaping the way we connect with dentists. Through innovative digital technology and a mobile phone, you can take detailed photos and videos of any area in your mouth and get a professional assessment on your dental situation online and on demand. This means issues like tooth decay, gum disease and more can be detected at a much earlier stage. Another advantage is that you only need to visit a dental clinic if you really need to. Your online dentist can immediately flag any issues and recommend the right preventative measures. You will then be recommended to visit your local dentist if they find a more serious issue, saving you money on unnecessary trips to the dentist.
#2 2020 Dental Trends: Digital dentistry in clinic
If you do need to visit a dental practice, the ideal situation would require the fewest number of visits possible. Previously, older techniques used for crowns, onlays and other treatments required many visits. Dental impressions had to be taken, then the metal crown had to be made, after which fittings and try-ons followed, requiring at least two visits at least, as well as two injections. Not to forget that the number of visits easily increased if other issues were encountered. Nowadays, digital impressions replace physical ones thanks to intra oral scanners, and in clinic technology like CEREC which allows crowns or onlays to be made directly whilst you sit in the dentist chair. This prevents the need for additional dental appointments and increases the efficiency for dentists as well. Digital dentistry is gathering momentum in clinics and the 2020 dental trend is leaning heavily towards same day treatments rather than repeated appointments. Apart from this being more comfortable by eliminating several appointments, temporary fillings and injections, it’s more efficient and schedule-friendly for everyone involved: dentists can take care of more patients, giving them the help they need, and patients don’t need to reschedule their weeks just to make time for dental appointments.
#3 2020 Dental Trends: Personalised dental products
Just like our fingerprints are different, we all have individually different dental needs. By better understanding our uniqueness, we can better observe our dental health to look after ourselves better and prevent problems.
For example: Someone who has acid eroded enamel, a thinner gum biotype, less saliva production, resulting in a drier mouth, and crowded teeth, a very different regime would be required to straighten their teeth than for someone with multiple implants who grinds their teeth. In 2020, we are seeing a vastly increased range of personalised products, which better suit our needs. Toothpastes now exist especially for people with implants, or to prevent and reverse enamel damage, but that’s not even the most exciting innovation. We also have millions of bacteria in our oral microbiome, some of which have been found elsewhere in the body causing health issues, so now we even have probiotic toothpastes.
As you can see, dental care has come a long way over the years and the 2020 dental trends have a lot in store for both dentists and patients. It’s now easier than ever to improve and maintain a healthy smile continuously, including in between dentist appointments. To take full advantage of the latest in dentistry you can start by completing your own online dental consultation. You can either opt for a general health assessment or to discuss a specific concern you may have or want a second opinion on from a digital dentist. Your Instant Dentist™ consultation will only take you minutes and doesn’t require any appointment so you can complete it in your own time and terms.
