Mechanical Engineers are Transforming the Landscape of Dentistry

The landscape of the dental sector has been transformed into patients, technologies, DSOs, and insurance. Huge changes are made to the dental models during the practices. This advancement is driven by various factors including the economy, customers, technology, and the government. As far as technology is concerned for the evolution, different engineering applications are integrated with dentistry, of which Mechanical Engineering holds the utmost significance. It has been observed that the machine tools have changed the patients’ requirement behavior over time. Mechanical Engineers have produced such mechanical tools that pivot a large number of dental offices for increasing development. In the past, the manual practice was done in dentistry but today both manual and mechanical instruments are used in many oral processes like the scaling tools. Dentists are being trained to use these mechanical devices. Trained Dentists prefer mechanical methods as they may remove the plaque and fill the cavity more effectively.

Mechanical Engineers are not involved directly in dentistry, however, their developed tools are being used in this industry. For instance, mechanical scalers reduce the time for each patient and increase productivity. Apart from these two practices of mechanical and manual methods, the patient’s preference is also considered. Most of the people go for the power scalers for minimum discomfort while certain patients select the manual method. Most dentists prefer the mechanical power scalers now while dealing with children, to avoid any kind of inconvenience. These are designed to reach the difficult-to-reach areas of the mouth. In the past, the manual methodology of implantation was used, but recently it has been seen that the patients having restorations or titanium implantation are provided the mechanical treatment.

While the dentistry has been still lacking behind to adopt the digital devices, the waves are changing the course as the dentists have now moved to use software and applications produced to support their practices. The advancement of technology in dentistry has brought an improvement of 10%-30% in the dentistry processes and streamline workflow. Following trends have changed the landscape of dentistry:

Complex insurance claims dentistry tools

Vey fewer tooth practices are allowing insurance claims with additional accessories like X-rays and diagnosis on paper. These are replaced by digital submissions with a high adopting rate for electronic devices. Dentists are using software applications like CAD and CAM to provide improvements and enhanced claims. The processing time for claims is less as it does not involve approvals, searching, and editing. Dentists and patients have realized the benefits of technology with the space expansion of dental Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). A Mechanical engineer conducts research about the medications, treatments, and diagnosis.

Revenue management devices

The dentistry revenue cycle has integrated with engineering technology and is expanding fastly. Dentists are using software applications that keep track of the payments received. These functions involve patient copays and credit card payments using the application. Digital tools have simplified the payment processes.

When a clinician faces a dental restoration, the tooth material is selected precisely keeping the physical and mechanical properties of that material in observation. For the physical properties, the selection of the restoration material is made while checking the solubility, resistance, and force strength. As far as the mechanical properties are concerned, the clinician has to see the modulus of elasticity, flexural strength, resistance to cyclic pain, and the absence of galvanism and corrosion. In choosing the dental materials, the material engineers are involved that describes the properties of different materials. After the selection of dental materials, during the tooth implantations or cavity fillings, mechanical engineers are involved in the systems processes and these processes are carried out with the assistance of the mechanical tools. They provide solutions and solve dental problems through equipment and applications.

Ask a dentist about the services of mechanical engineers in the field of dentistry.