3-D Dentist: The Future of Dentistry is Now

CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA – We live in a three-dimensional world, but for generations dentistry has operated under two-dimensional principles. All that is ending, says Merritt Island, Florida, orthodontist Dr. Paul Ouellette, author of “3-D Dentists: The Future of Dentistry is Now.”
“The technology of dentistry has been changing so rapidly,” said Ouellette.
“It has taken off like a rocket ship. Dentists are now thinking out of the box, since most of them were trained in 2-D imagery, even though all dentistry is by its nature 3-D. There’s been a paradigm shift, so more and more dentists are adding 3-D equipment to their practices.”
Ouellette, who operates DentalSpecialists.com and AffordableBraces.com, spent several years researching the book. He partnered with nationally recognized dental educator, consultant and author Linda Meeuwenberg, who has also collaborated with Depak Chopra on a book.

With four decades of experience in the field; two highly successful practices that cover Brevard, Daytona Beach, Orlando and Port Orange; a stint as professor at Emery University; and his continuing work with the cutting-edge Atlanta Center for Restorative Dentistry, Ouellette is perfectly qualified to offer this glimpse into the future of his field.Meeuwenberg Leading the change, he says, is Cone Beam Computer Tomography, or CBCT. These 3-D scanners, once the domain of hospitals, are increasingly appearing in dental practices, thanks to technology that has made them affordable for private practitioners.

For patients, particularly those who require implants or root canals, the gist is comfort, convenience and better outcomes, as dentists are able to obtain a 3-D model of the patient’s mouth in just a few seconds.
“Panoramic x-rays do not give you the full picture, so to some extent, dentists had to guess,” said Ouellette.
“You can now print a 3-D model of the patient’s mouth right in the office.”

By having the “full picture,” dentists can perform implants and root canal procedures with more accuracy and safety.“There would be less chance of perforating the bone or hitting a nerve,” said Ouellette.
Pinpoint Accuracy

Research has shown that 3-D technology allows dentists pinpoint accuracy for placing implants, which allows for decreased failure rates. Currently, 1/3 of root canals eventually fail because of infection or abscess to auxiliary canals and require a repeat procedure to correct. By using 3-D technology, dentists are better able to avoid this problem.
“When you add the cost of two root canals together, using 3-D technology can save patients a considerable amount of money,” said Ouellette.
Additional benefits are that CBCT allows the dentist to discover incidental pathology, such as a brain tumor, while using equipment that emits much less radiation than traditional cat-scans.
Oullette’s book is by no means a finished project, for the author considers it a constant work-in-progress. “We expect to update it quarterly,” he said.
For up-to-date content, Ouellette tapped unto the knowledge base of his extensive network of medical colleagues, including Melbourne pediatric ENT specialist Dr. David Malis. Not only is the book comprehensive, but it is also animated, including its Star Wars-type cover.
Although currently only about five percent of dentists have 3-D imagery equipment in their practices, Ouellette expects the number to skyrocket in the next couple of years.
“More and more patients will be asking for this, and with the cost of technology coming down, more dentists will be able to provide it,” he said.

3-D Dentists can be downloaded through Amazon.com, Apple iTunes and is also available as print-on-demand. Cost to download is $7.99, while the hard copy will sell for approximately $25. Half of book sales will be donated to organizations that promote dental education.