We live in a society that has made us all somewhat impatient. We all want and expect immediate gratification… fast food, three-minute insurance quotes, and I could go on. Unfortunately, when many aspects of dentistry try to jump on this bandwagon (or should I say speeding train!) the results in my opinion, can be quite disappointing. I have watched quietly by the sidelines, never myself rushing in to offer my patients some of these new dental products and techniques that claim to offer a speedy turnaround time. And I am glad that I have held off, in that while I too value the merits of saving time, it should not be at the expense of quality and reliability. Here are some examples to illustrate what I have witnessed first-hand or reviewed in the scientific literature with respect to some of the more popular dentistry-related “shortcuts” as I call them.
Why I don’t like to take shortcuts with… DENTURES
I see denture patients roll their eyes a bit when they find out about the two extra trips to my office they will have to make that many other offices do not require. But I also see their smiles of satisfaction and joy when they walk out of my office with the finished product… a denture that feels great, functions well and looks spectacular!
So why do I require those extra visits when I make a denture for a patient? Simply put, the more precise the impression, the better the likelihood of a great fit. Instead of starting with a pre-made impression tray which could indeed save time, I take the extra step of actually custom-fabricating the impression tray itself which is then used to take the patient’s final impression. I also require an extra visit after the denture’s metal base is complete. Of course I could make a denture all in one shot, but I prefer to get that base perfect first by trying it on the patient by itself, thereby allowing the fabrication of the rest of the denture to be just right. Indeed these two extra steps require two extra visits, but in my books, they are definitely worth it for something that my patients are going to wear and depend on for years and years to come.
And by the way, I do not charge extra for these two visits. I consider these steps to be part of the proper process of making a denture right, not an added bonus that patients should have to pay more for.
Why I don’t like to take shortcuts with… BRACES
While the idea of having a perfect smile in half a year sounds enticing, I would advise patients to get a second opinion before jumping in. Perhaps in some cases six months may be enough time to straighten teeth, but is it really enough time to make sure a patient’s bite is correct? Will it ensure that the patient won’t go into orthodontic relapse shortly after? Tread carefully when things sound too good to be true as more often than not, they are. Our teeth are firmly implanted in our jaws and nothing can replace the passing of time when it comes to moving them properly and permanently. When I provide orthodontics to my patients, I do it right… even if it may take a bit longer.
Why I don’t like to take shortcuts with… IMPLANTS
Implants in a day?! This too sounds great – but is it? When a person undergoes the first part of a typical implant procedure, he must wait for at least several months for the tissues to heal properly and for the bone to grow into the implant surface properly before the artificial tooth is put into place. This process, called osseointegration, creates a strong bond between the bone and the implant. In a same-day implant, this bonding cannot occur, thereby leaving the patient at risk of a higher failure rate.
Why I don’t like to take shortcuts with… CROWNS
Being the technology-loving person that I am, I cannot deny that a machine that can produce a fairly accurate facsimile of a tooth in about an hour is going to impress me. So it is no surprise that these Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) devices can be found in many dentists’ offices. You will not however, find one my office – yet anyways. While I strongly suspect that CAM technology will continue to improve over time and that I too may eventually have one in my office, I do not feel that we are there yet. A crown produced via CAM is in my option, not nearly as impressive as one that is produced “old-school” by a highly trained individual in a lab whom I would consider to be as much a craftsman as a technician. My advice would be to avoid a CAM crown, and instead persevere with that extra appointment or two and get a better looking and likely longer-lasting lab-produced crown.
Why I don’t like to take shortcuts with… MEDICAL HISTORIES
No one likes paperwork and filling out forms – myself included! And despite our office’s recent initiative to put all of our forms online, I know that new patients are still not going to love filling them out, even if they don’t need a pen anymore. I just remind everyone that it doesn’t take that long and the end-result is well worth their small investment of time. The questions on our medical history are carefully thought out and equip me and my staff to better understand each and every one of our patient’s wants and needs and help ensure their safety and wellbeing.
I hope you find these examples helpful when considering your dental options, remembering that “good dentistry comes to those who wait”, or, if I get even a little cornier, “a patient patient is a happy patient!”
Steven Deskin is a Brantford Dentist in general practice.
