Back to the Future from 1996

Dentistry: 2001

Your trip to the dentist in the year 2001 will be a lot different from what it is today. In some dental offices the look is definitely a space odyssey already. Experts say that Americans' good dental healthcare is one reason why by the turn of the century cavities should be much rarer than they are today. Dentists are already spending more time counseling patients about the preventive aspects of dental care, such as fluoride treatments and sealants. Today more dentists are considering the whole body in making their health-conscious recommendations and are offering suggestions on diet, nutrition, vitamin supplements, herbal remedies and homeopathic preparations.

While dentists may have less drilling and filling to do, they'll be busy helping patients achieve that perfect smile, with ever-improving techniques in cosmetic dentistry. What straight teeth with orthodontic care did for the cosmetic challenges of the 1970’s and 80’s, the bleaching, bonding and veneering has done in the 1990’s. Now, nearly anyone can have a perfect smile.

At the same time, technology has improved traditional diagnostic and treatment methods, with instantaneous digital x-rays to give a faster reading of trouble spots in the mouth, needle-free anesthesia to replace injections, and even lasers and kinetic particle devices to replace the dental drill. Tiny intraoral cameras now seek out hidden cracks and cavities and early signs of gum disease where previously no human eye could readily see. Its a marvelous time to be a dentist and an even more wonderful time to be a dental patient. Just ask your grandmother!

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