Since the mid-90s, when advanced CAD (computer-aided design) systems were first used to help create crown materials, digital dentistry has developed rapidly. The latest digital dental hardware includes intra-oral scanning, dental sensor technology, robotics, CAD/CAM and 3D printing.

As a result, a lot of traditional manual dental processes have been, or are about to be, taken over by these emerging digital dental technologies, in the near future.

For example, the process of a traditional crowning procedure usually takes two appointments. It involves making moulds of your teeth, outsourcing manual crown fabrication to dental labs, and wearing a temporary crown in the meantime. Total time: approx. 2 weeks.

Now, there is the quicker option, of a single dental session, for a single crown restoration, utilising CAD and CAM (computer-aided manufacturing). How is this possible?

First, a digital scan of your mouth is imported directly into computer software that will generate the ideal 3D shape of your crown as a 3D file. This 3D file is then imported into a milling machine which carves the crown out of a ceramic block automatically. Then, all that your dentist needs to do, is – bond the newly fabricated crown to your prepared tooth. Total time: 2 hours.

And it doesn’t stop there. Scalpel, needles, use of anaesthetic, drills and sutures are gradually being replaced by lasers. Lasers result in less pain, discomfort and trauma during your dental procedure.

Digital dentistry will also assist your dentist. They won’t need to rely solely on steady hands and an eagle eye for dental procedures that have no margin for error.

Perhaps in the not too distant future, your check ups and dental treatment won’t even be performed by a human dentist, but by dental robots managed by dentists.

What methods did German researchers use to compare Invisalign® with braces? In February 2015, German researchers (from the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany) began an independent comparison study of 100 dental patients – who used either Invisalign® or braces. This test group was divided 50/50 between both treatments. All patients had teeth alignment issues for which Invisalign® and braces were both suitable dental solutions. The researchers then examined, assessed and documented the oral health, oral hygiene, dietary habits and treatment satisfaction of each patient – for a minimum 6 month period. The patients in the study followed the same oral hygiene habits. They used the same electric/manual toothbrushes, dental floss and method of brushing three times daily. 

Their test results? At the start of the study, their analysis didn’t show any notable differences in the oral health and hygiene of patients using either Invisalign® or braces. Though, as the study continued, the researchers found that gingival health, levels of dental plaque and overall well-being were better in patients using Invisalign®. Crucial to these results, was the removability of Invisalign® aligners for unrestricted eating and more thorough teeth cleaning. Other clinical and quality-of-life data collected from both test groups indicated that Invisalign® patients experienced less: • gingiva and mouth irritation • plaque accumulation • teeth brushing time • laughing inhibition and social anxiety • changes in their eating habits and daily life • speech impairment 

And the conclusions? With these study results, the German medical researchers concluded that patients treated with Invisalign® had better oral health and greater satisfaction than patients using braces. They confirmed that braces interfered with periodontal health, and complicated oral hygiene care. In their own words, “Invisalign® patients have significantly better gingival health.” and “Invisalign® is superior for quality of life of the patients.”*

* Corresponding author: Azaripour, A., Research article: “Braces versus Invisalign®: gingival parameters and patients’ satisfaction during treatment: a cross-sectional study.”, Department of Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, Mainz 55131, Germany.