Considered as a condition that impacts people of all ages and that alters oral health, as well as the quality of life of our patients, its early discovery is of the utmost importance. It is here that the intraoral scanner has been transformed into a tool that stands out among others and that allows us as professionals in the area to take the necessary respective and therapeutic measures.
To delve into the subject, it is important to summarize that this digital dentistry tool has powerful advantages within other traditional methods such as clinical examination, photographs and conventional plaster models. Also here we will consider its clinical applications in the evaluation of the patient and the proper monitoring of dental wear.
While most cases of this condition correspond to physiological dental wear, as we well know, there is also a minority that experiences more extreme pathological dental wear. The latter can seriously affect the function of the stomatognathic system, requiring costly interventions and reorganization of the occlusal system.
Why is your premature discovery so important?
Its prevalence: according to the World Health Organization (WHO), dental wear is a widespread dental condition around the world and affects people of all ages, which if not stopped in time, leads to significant discomfort in people.
Greater dissatisfaction with life: a study carried out in the United States in 2020 by Zhang et al for the publication “Journal of Dental Research”, indicates that patients with this condition reported greater difficulty in performing daily activities, such as eating, talking and kissing.
Increased use of analgesics: the study carried out in Spain in 2017 called “Impact of dental wear on the quality of life of patients” for the Spanish journal of public health found that dental wear was associated with an increase in visits to the dentist, such as a greater increase in the exaggerated intake of analgesics, also occupational absenteeism due to the anxiety and depression that the condition generated.
The play of the intraoral scanner
Old methods limit early detection. In contrast, the intraoral scanner has become an unprecedented tool in digital dentistry due to its high ability to provide detailed three-dimensional images of the oral cavity, allowing efficient tracking over time. Before the explosion of intraoral scanners, the quantitative evaluation of dental wear was very limited due to its high economic value. Today, due to its existence, we can have both qualitative and quantitative monitoring, with the ability to detect changes in short periods, but also something important, more affordable for all types of users.
Dental Wear Monitoring (dental)
There are several risk factors such as diet and eating disorders, which can cause significant wear and tear in a short time.
The detection and active monitoring of dental wear should be an integral part of dental care in the office. It is essential to start using this technology especially in patients with risk factors, to prevent future wear and tear and reduce the need for expensive treatments.
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