How Technology Has Driven the Need for the Specialised Dentist Tools Supplier
While it is known that dentistry has been practised for over 9,000 years, its development has been markedly slower than that of most other medical disciplines. Furthermore, during most of that period, it was conducted by people without formal medical qualifications who only required a strong arm and a pair of plyers. However, progress during the last 150 years has been driven by technological advances that have made the specialised dentist tools supplier indispensable.
Today’s dentists are no longer limited to extracting decayed teeth. Instead, they are dedicated to preserving dentition and maintaining oral health through the application of newly developed techniques and advanced digital dental solutions. In short, the well-equipped modern dental surgery is a far cry from the monasteries, barber and blacksmith shops that formed the mainstay of dentistry for centuries.
The Evolution of Dentist Tools
The first reclining dental chair was invented by a London dentist named James Snell in 1832. However, as in many other fields, the Industrial Revolution had an even more significant impact on dentistry with the use of first steam and later electricity to drive one of the most essential dental hand tools: the dental handpiece.
Advances in the design and performance of dentist furniture, such as ergonomic chairs, stools, and essential dental hand tools, have been invaluable. However, the use of digital technology in dentistry has been a game-changer.
In short, the advances of the twentieth century, from x-rays and anaesthesia to sophisticated digital instrumentation, have changed the face of dentistry forever and ensured the role of the specialised dental tools supplier.
Digital Dentistry Solutions Available from a Specialised Dentist Tools Supplier
Dental implants and clear aligners have been invaluable additions to the dentist’s armoury and were welcomed by patients worldwide. However, the impact of digital dental solutions has been equally transformative. The following are some examples of the tools involved and their applications:
- Intraoral and diagnostic cameras: These innovative handheld devices, such as the Acteon C50, offer the dentist a magnified high-definition diagnostic imaging technique of exceptional accuracy. Furthermore, the recording facility allows practitioners to share those images with their patients to confirm their oral pathologies and discuss a suitable treatment plan.
- Intraoral X-ray units: These compact, wall-mounted units offer a low-radiation alternative to bulky traditional machines, providing the dentist with details of the internal pathology of the teeth and jaws. Some models allow the dentist to record the X-ray images digitally or on film, as required.
- Dental CAD/CAM: Once confined to the manufacturing industry, computer-aided design software has since been adapted for dentists to model restorations and prostheses from 3D scanned images and should be available from any reputable dental tools supplier.
- 3D printers and milling machines: The 3D models produced by the CAD/CAM software can be used to manufacture crowns and bridges additively with a 3D printer or subtractively with an automated milling machine to create restorations at the chairside.
The UK’s Leading Dentist Tools Supplier
Finding a quality dentist tools supplier in the UK has never been easier, especially for dentists in the Midlands and West Sussex regions. Hague Dental Supplies is a multi-award-winning dentist tools supplier of both Belmont and Acteon advanced dental tools, to name a few. Contact us and begin your digital transformation today.