Show #300 Airing 6/19/05
This is our 300 th show. In a few minutes, I hope you’ll help us celebrate. Our show has changed over the years, and so has the field of dentistry. No more loud, painful drills! Dental work is more comfortable, and the results are even more natural. Here to talk about some of the significant changes in dentistry is the ageless Dr. Steven Marsh.
Question: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Dentistry offers many of the same services it always have…but the equipment and the materials are updated to get you better results and a more comfortable experience. Dr. Marsh—what are some of those changes?
Answer: X-Rays. In the past, this hard square object had to be placed in a patient’s mouth to take an x-ray. Now, the piece that goes inside the mouth is much more comfortable. Plus, the images are computerized and can be put on a large screen for the patient to look at within seconds. And, even though the amount of radiation was never truly a problem with x-rays, this has 90% less radiation.
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is used to relax patients, and still is. However, now we also use headphones, television sets, etc. to offer the patient comfort.
Our sterilizer now takes only 6 minutes to sterilize the equipment.
Question: What about the work actually done on your teeth? What changes have been made there?
Answer: One change is in teeth whitening. Used to be that we made impressions and created trays for you to wear. Now, there are machines such as Zoom and Bright Smile that allow your teeth to be whitened in one trip to the dentist’s office.
Bonding lights are now small and portable, plus they bond more quickly. Now, you can have sealants done while you’re getting your teeth cleaned, in the hygienist’s room.
Porcelains, used in crowns and veneers, are getting thinner, better, and more realistic. Your teeth aren’t solid white—they’re translucent, and now crowns and veneers are too.
Wear and tear on our teeth often causes unattractive and sometimes harmful changes. Yet one thing that doesn’t change is our desire for a beautiful smile. And recent changes in dentistry can make our wishes come true. My thanks to Dr. Steven Marsh for his good information.
