User:Chorsfall/sandbox

Digital Dentistry Technologies
Some of the technologies used in digital dentistry include:
 * Digital Intra-oral Imaging
 * CAD/CAM
 * Computer-aided implant dentistry — including design and fabrication of surgical guides
 * 3D Printing (e.g. to print physical models of digital images taken with intra-oral scans, make appliances, temporaries, surgical guides)
 * Digital radiography (intraoral and extraoral, including cone beam computed tomography (CBCT))
 * Electric and surgical/implant handpieces
 * Photography (extraoral and intraoral)
 * Practice and patient record management software — including digital patient education
 * Shade matching
 * Diagnodent
 * Dental lasers
 * The Wand- used to carry anesthesia

Intra-Oral Digital Impressions
Conventional dental impressions are made by placing an impression material loaded on an impression tray over the dental arches. As it sets a negative imprint of soft and hard tissues in the mouth. Intra-oral digital impressions recreate the positive impression of a patient's dentition and other structures into a digital format on a computer almost instantly.

Photogrammetry-based intra-oral scanning (software-driven)
Imaging taken of dentition — both laboratory- and clinician-controlled

CAD/CAM
Through a study on both direct an indirect dental restorations facilitated by digitization was concluded that a simnifically better marginal fit was observed. The fit and efficiency of fully ceramic restorations fabricated through CAD/CAM were evaluated through a double-blinded randomized cynical trial was observed. The digital impression technique was more accurate, time efficient for both the dentist and patient in comparison with conventional methods.

Uses in Other Areas of Dentistry
Within the dental profession there are already uses for digital dentistry and as technology continues to develop, proposed uses for the futures. Some examples are outlined below;

Limitations
Limitations on digital dentistry include cost, lack of desire to adapt to new dental technology, and misunderstanding of new technologies.