Jill Morris, DMD, is a dentist and founder of World Class Dentistry in Sarasota, Fla. There she is a pioneer in dental lasers and minimally invasive techniques.
In an interview with Becker's Dental + DSO Review, Dr. Morris highlights the development of dental equipment and best opportunities for dentists to incorporate these tools into their practices.
Question: How has the development of dental equipment and tools evolved?
Dr. Jill Morris: This is my 31st year practicing dentistry, and I have seen tremendous changes in dental technology. Procedures are completed much more quickly because of the Internet and digital development of communication and equipment. Printers and mills have become common in the laboratory technology area of dentistry, including digital scanning of the teeth for impression taking, milling of temporaries and sending of cases via the Internet to laboratories. This streamlines cases and improves accuracy. Digital design of crowns, bridges and veneers is commonplace. Surgical procedures are planned from a cone beam image and printed surgical guides are then used to make the surgery and final prosthesis more accurate. It is mind-blowing how these changes are developing. I feel I have much more control over the final outcomes of my prosthetic cases.
Q: When are the best opportunities for dentists to use dental lasers? Are certain procedures better cases for using dental lasers?
JM: I have been using lasers in my practice since 1996. I mainly use the soft tissue laser and have a tremendous success rate with treating gum disease. In the 1990s, I used a diode laser for my soft tissue procedures. I purchased an Erbium laser in the early 2000s but have not utilized it in my practice, as much of my work is full mouth reconstruction and veneer cases. About 10 years ago, I purchased a CO2 laser for my soft tissue procedures and found it even more successful in achieving the soft tissue results. I also found it to be less painful than the diode and erbium lasers. I now have two CO2 lasers, which I use all day every day for my periodontal procedures, and one of them also has attachments for facial rejuvenation, wrinkle reduction and skin tightening. I also have a cold laser that I use for temporomandibular joint dysfunction therapy. This laser decreases inflammation, increases blood flow and oxygen to the ligaments and joint area and promotes healing. It accelerates tissue repair and cell growth. We also use it for apthous ulcer pain relief and to decrease the gag reflex in our patients prior to impressions and radiographs.
Q: What new minimally invasive devices will enter the dentistry field in the coming years?
JM: I believe 3-D printers will become more affordable and will be utilized in fabricating much of our laboratory restorations and devices. This sounds a little crazy, but I am hoping someday we will be able to print our own customized implants for the specific patient need. Maybe we will print teeth. I don't know what else these genius geeks have up their sleeves, but I can't wait to see.
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In an interview with Becker's Dental + DSO Review, Dr. Morris highlights the development of dental equipment and best opportunities for dentists to incorporate these tools into their practices.
Question: How has the development of dental equipment and tools evolved?
Dr. Jill Morris: This is my 31st year practicing dentistry, and I have seen tremendous changes in dental technology. Procedures are completed much more quickly because of the Internet and digital development of communication and equipment. Printers and mills have become common in the laboratory technology area of dentistry, including digital scanning of the teeth for impression taking, milling of temporaries and sending of cases via the Internet to laboratories. This streamlines cases and improves accuracy. Digital design of crowns, bridges and veneers is commonplace. Surgical procedures are planned from a cone beam image and printed surgical guides are then used to make the surgery and final prosthesis more accurate. It is mind-blowing how these changes are developing. I feel I have much more control over the final outcomes of my prosthetic cases.
Q: When are the best opportunities for dentists to use dental lasers? Are certain procedures better cases for using dental lasers?
JM: I have been using lasers in my practice since 1996. I mainly use the soft tissue laser and have a tremendous success rate with treating gum disease. In the 1990s, I used a diode laser for my soft tissue procedures. I purchased an Erbium laser in the early 2000s but have not utilized it in my practice, as much of my work is full mouth reconstruction and veneer cases. About 10 years ago, I purchased a CO2 laser for my soft tissue procedures and found it even more successful in achieving the soft tissue results. I also found it to be less painful than the diode and erbium lasers. I now have two CO2 lasers, which I use all day every day for my periodontal procedures, and one of them also has attachments for facial rejuvenation, wrinkle reduction and skin tightening. I also have a cold laser that I use for temporomandibular joint dysfunction therapy. This laser decreases inflammation, increases blood flow and oxygen to the ligaments and joint area and promotes healing. It accelerates tissue repair and cell growth. We also use it for apthous ulcer pain relief and to decrease the gag reflex in our patients prior to impressions and radiographs.
Q: What new minimally invasive devices will enter the dentistry field in the coming years?
JM: I believe 3-D printers will become more affordable and will be utilized in fabricating much of our laboratory restorations and devices. This sounds a little crazy, but I am hoping someday we will be able to print our own customized implants for the specific patient need. Maybe we will print teeth. I don't know what else these genius geeks have up their sleeves, but I can't wait to see.
More articles on dentists:
Adin Dental Implant Systems, SpineGuard partner on dental implant technology: 5 takeaways
Premier Dental launches new hygiene, diagnostic product line: 4 insights
Judge rules dentist's stolen patient list not protected information — 5 insights