Digital Dentistry - Eva Boldridge DMD PA Houston Texas

Digital DentistryHouston, TXThanks to digital dentistry, going to the dentist is becoming more accurate, more efficient, and,
most importantly, easier for the patient than ever before. Eva Boldridge, DMD, PA, is a
prosthodontist who incorporates the latest digital technology into every step of patient care.
Our practice is changing the way patients view a trip to the dentist.
Our dental team in Houston, TX, prides itself on making your dental work quicker and more
comfortable. Using the latest technology, we are improving all aspects of our patient’s dental
care. To learn more about digital dentistry or make an appointment, call (281) 779- 4022.
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What Services Are You Interested In?

Dr. Boldridge has worked to integrate the state of the art advancements of digital dentistry into her practice. From intraoral scanning, to 3D designing & printing, Dr. Boldridge is utilizing the recent advancements in dentistry to give her patients the best of the cutting edge treatments and materials in dentistry today. Dr. Boldridge has a special interest in digital dentures. You can follow her denture journey on Instagram or Facebook – @DentureDEva.

Please view this video of our 3S Shape Trios high-technology equipment.

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What is Digital Dentistry

Digital dentistry is any dental technology that uses a computer or digital-based technology as opposed to the traditional mechanical or electrical dental tools. A prime example is the digital dental impression vs. the traditional dental impression. The goal of the traditional impressions is to make an accurate mold of the mouth with a form of putty material a patient must bite down on as it sets.

This process, while not typically painful, can be irritating and uncomfortable. In other cases, it may need to be redone if the material does not set right to create an accurate impression. Instead, a digital impression involves an imaging system that scans the teeth and gums to make a digital 3D model of the mouth. The digital process is faster, more accurate, and easier on the patient.

Check out what others are saying about our Digital Dentistry services on Yelp: Digital Dentistry Houston

Common Uses of Digital Dentistry

The above-mentioned digital impression is perhaps one of the better-known digital dental applications. However, digital dentistry covers a wide variety of dental processes. Common uses of digital dentistry include but are not limited to the following:

3D printers: 3D printers from Formlabs make accurate 3D models from digital images taken with our state-of-the-art scanning equipment.
3Shape®: A smile design app that allows dentists to take a patient’s photo and create a realistic image of the end result they can expect in just minutes.
CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing): Software that enables dental professionals to perform complex restorations faster and more efficiently.
CBCT Cone Beam Imaging: Imaging technology providing three-dimensional detail useful in periodontal diagnosis among a wide range of other uses.

From diagnostics, imaging, patient care planning, and communication, digital applications are expanding throughout the dentistry profession.

Advantages of Digital Dentistry

The advantages of digital dentistry are becoming more apparent as its use grows. The only real limitation in most areas of digital dentistry is the higher capital investment involved in taking on a new technology. This will be overcome in time as more practices witness the value it provides their practice and, most importantly, their patients.

As mentioned earlier, using digital impression technology increases patient comfort and reduces the time spent in the dentist’s chair. However, the same types of devices that make that possible, such as an intraoral camera, also offer greater accuracy to produce a better-finished product from dentures to other dental restorations. Digital technology also allows dentists to present much more accurate predictions of treatment to the patient quickly.

This technology takes a lot of the worry and guesswork out of the decision to have the treatment and increases patient satisfaction with the experience. In the area of diagnostics, digital dentistry offers lower exposure to radiation than traditional dental X-rays. Some of these newer technologies can catch developing dental problems, such as indications of the development of periodontal disease earlier than more traditional equipment.

The Process of Digital Dentistry

Digital dentistry is changing the dental treatment process from making the appointment to getting the exam and deciding on treatment. For example, a patient considering a smile makeover starts by making the appointment online. During the appointment, our prosthodontist can use digital equipment to scan a patient’s mouth and develop a treatment plan that same day. This plan can even show the patient a more realistic vision of the final result of the treatment. If a patient needs a restoration, it is possible to take a digital impression of the patient’s mouth and email it to the lab in one day.

Continued Use of Digital Dentistry

Digital dentistry reaches beyond the dentist chair to streamline paperwork, making it easier for patients to make appointments, communicate with the dental team, and for the dental team to communicate more efficiently with the lab. Digital dentistry also has the potential to allow a dental practice to go paperless. According to Dentistry Today, going digital offers solutions such as paperless office management tools, referral management systems, and secure communication tools. This results in less time spent managing paperwork and more time with patients.

Call Us Today

Exciting developments in digital dentistry are improving all aspects of going to the dentist. Processes that used to take weeks can now take only days. Along with that, it is easier to build trust between the dentist and patient. To learn more about what digital dentistry can do for you, call our team at (281) 779- 4022

Frequently Asked Questions About Digital Dentistry

How long has digital dentistry been around?

Digital impressions, the first type of digital dentistry, has been around for over three decades. It first became available in the mid-80s with the introduction of Sirona Dental Systems’ CEREC 1. In recent years, digital dentistry has begun to expand to more practices and other aspects of dentistry.

What are the main benefits of digital dentistry to the patients?

The more commonly cited benefits are comfort, time saved, and convenience. Digital dentistry allows more to be accomplished in a shorter amount of time. Also, digital dentistry typically means fewer appointments, and that can save patients money.

What advantages do digital dental X-rays have over traditional dental X-rays?

Digital X-rays typically use less radiation and produce high-quality instant images. They can produce larger photos that may allow your dentist to catch dental problems earlier. Also, the photos can be sent electronically to another specialist or a lab speeding up diagnostic and treatment times.

Does dental insurance cover digital dentistry?

That is a complicated question to answer because digital dentistry covers so many things. Typically if the diagnostic test or procedure is medically necessary and not purely for cosmetic reasons, your insurance will cover it. If you are not sure, consider checking with your insurance to make sure they cover the specific procedure or diagnostic test.

How does digital dentistry make treatment faster?

The equipment used to make models and produce images works faster or instant in some cases. This makes the process of diagnosis faster as well as the planning of treatment. Because a digital model can be sent to a lab instantly, the production of dental devices and restorations are expedited.

Why are there not more practices adopting digital dentistry?

As with anything, change can be slow. The equipment can be expensive, and then practitioners have to become skilled at using it. Many dental schools are currently incorporating digital dentistry into their coursework.