Changes in technology have touched on a number of industries, and the dental industry is just one of them. There are a number of things that have improved significantly and that have revolutionized dental care, making procedures that would have been hard or impossible to become more attainable. Here are some of the ways in which new dental technology has more than improved the entire industry, but that has also helped ease dental anxiety.
Virtual Reality
The first bit of technology that has helped to ease dental anxiety is virtual reality. It’s no secret that most people who fail to book oral health care appointments are hindered by a fear of what awaits them. In fact, 12% of adults aged from 20 to 64 years old haven’t been to the dentist in the last five years. If the process can be made more interactive for them so that they know what they can expect long before they start to work on any procedure, you can be sure that the outcome will be a lot better for them.
Thanks to virtual reality exposure therapy, a potential dental patient can immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the health care facility they intend to visit. By doing this while in a neutral space like a private consultation room, they can experience what it will be like with minimal triggers of phobias that they may have. In a trial, patients who picked a virtual reality exposure therapy session over an informational brochure of the procedure they expected to undergo showed lower levels of anxiety. Clearly, it’s a worthwhile experience for all who can get it.
Mobile Phone Applications
A good number of people can use oral health treatment. This includes over half of adolescents aged 12 to 19 who, according to CDC, have had a cavity in at least one of their permanent teeth. That said, not all of them are too happy to head to the dentist for treatment or routine visits. This can all be changed by using an app created by researchers at Penn School of Dental Medicine and NYU College of Dentistry.
This app uses the principals of mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy to help people beat their fear of the dentist’s chair right from the comfort of their homes. With the power to manage their behavior, feelings, and thoughts at their next dental appointment, the people from the pilot study had a much better time getting the treatment that they needed. Even something as simple as going for regular dental checkups can go a long way toward helping people maintain their oral health and avoid complications down the road.
Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation
The third technology that has done a lot to help patients ease their anxiety during dental visits is something called a cranial electrotherapy stimulation device. This device is called the Alpha-Stim, and it administers pulsed, low-intensity current to a patient’s scalp or earlobes. This stimulates certain groups of nerve cells in the brain while decreasing activity in others. The overall effect is improved relaxation, calmness, and a better mood.
A large number of people can benefit from using this device to improve their oral health. This is backed by the fact that over 150 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, are missing one tooth or more. When people with oral health issues know that they can get treatment without the fear and discomfort that comes with it, they’ll be happier to take full charge of their oral health.
These are just three of the latest technologies that dentists can use to make dental treatments a less nerve-racking experience. Over time, you can expect many more technologies to be discovered. As a result, oral health care will become more widespread, with dental phobia becoming a thing of the past.
