N. Texas Dentistry Special Issue 2014 Inside the Exceptional Practice | Page 11

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Digital technologies like 3D imaging have taken the guesswork
out of dental implant treatment, making outcomes more predictable and reproducible by giving practitioners more accurate
diagnostic and planning information and more precise control
over the result. Dentists and laboratories frequently collaborate
on cases, working together on site to create highly aesthetic single or full mouth implant restorations. The predictability of dental implant treatment has led to a swelling demand for dental
implants that shows no signs of diminishing, particularly as the
population of dental consumers ages.

MOBILE DENTISTRY

Technological advancements have also taken dentistry beyond
the physical constraints of the office to patients who cannot realistically travel to a dental appointment. Mobile dentistry,
which began with the release of the first portable dental delivery
unit by Aseptico in the early 1980s, enabled dentists to meet the
need for dentistry in the field, such as nursing homes, schools,
or other remote locations. In doing so, many dentists have
carved out a niche for their practices that meets the growing
needs of patients who cannot come to them and secures a new
segment of the patient population. In addition to providing
portable care, Aseptico’s latest self-contained mobile operatory

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units are customizable and fully equipped for office settings or
expansions where the addition of a plumbed system is impractical.

Over recent years, highly advanced 3D imaging has become a
powerful diagnostic and treatment planning tool that enables
dentists to accurately visualize anatomy in three dimensions.
Cone beam CT scans help improve care by measuring bone
quality and density and avoid critical anatomy.

General dentists who provide implant treatment find CBCT imaging particularly useful for determining the precise placement
of implants, and planning the most appropriate implant type
and angulation. This advanced imaging technology also allows
orthodontists to view occlusion in relation to bone structure for
treatment planning, and enables oral/maxillofacial surgeons to
assess impacted tooth position and anatomy and visualize hard
and soft tissues in three dimensions on the computer for highly
accurate surgical planning. One company, a3Dimage, offers a
unique mobile CBCT service that functions as a convenient extension of the dentist’s office. The mobile unit use