2009 Trend Report from the Editors of Consumer Guide to Dentistry

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The face of dentistry changes each year, and 2009 will be no different. Here are the top six dental trends for 2009, brought to you by the editors of Consumer Guide to Dentistry:

1. More convenient appointments. The economy may cause some people to cancel or postpone regular appointments with their dentist, making it easier for you to find a convenient time slot for your own dental appointments. Whether it’s to see the dentist for a routine check-up or for an overdue dental cleaning, you’ll probably be able to get in when you want without much fuss.

2. Phased treatment. Many dentists will likely offer people who need major dental work the option of having it completed over a longer period of time (called phased treatment). This helps you to make that all-important commitment to get the dental care you need. And it can make the visits more manageable financially for you. So if your dental exam reveals the need for not one but multiple restorations (crowns, inlays, fillings), don’t panic! Dentists can provide permanent treatment in a “phased” approach and still keep your teeth healthy.

3. New options for denture wearers. Dentures will continue to replace missing teeth. But look for modern materials to make denture teeth look more natural than ever. Also look for more affordable, less invasive implant procedures, such as mini-implants that can be placed in an hour and used immediately with dentures. Both will bring greater confidence and comfort to many denture wearers.

4. Faster, more convenient crowns and other restorations. Chairside CAD/CAM technology that lets dentists make crowns and other restorations at the same time as your regular office visit will eliminate the need for repeat appointments and wearing unpredictable temporaries. Your treatment will take less time, look great and last as long as many conventional treatments. And because this technology doesn’t require traditional ooey-gooey impression materials, you won’t have that uncomfortable gag reflex that typically occurs during the impression process.

5. High-tech disease prevention and detection. With people living longer and keeping more of their natural teeth for a longer period of time, dentists are focusing on prevention and early detection of oral disease – and they’ll be using high-tech devices and pharmaceuticals to do it. Increasingly lasers, instead of traditional X-rays, will be used to detect cavities, and fluoride varnishes will help prevent decay. Also, risk assessment tools will help determine your likelihood of developing cavities, based on the amount of bacteria in your mouth.

6. Ditch the drool sooner. A new anesthetic reversal agent may launch in mid-2009 that is expected to eliminate the long-lasting side effects of injected dental anesthetic, such as numbness, drooling and difficulty speaking. So you’ll be back to your normal self and normal routine in no time!

To learn more about these and other topics important to your family's dental health, please visit Consumer Guide to Dentistry.

About Consumer Guide to Dentistry

Online since April 2007, Consumer Guide to Dentistry contains more than 100 pages of dentist-reviewed information about all aspects of dentistry and oral health, including TMJ disorder, dry mouth and bad breath. The site's most popular sections include teeth whitening, implants, veneers and bridges, as well as the before-and-after photo gallery and the directory of cosmetic dentists. The site is accredited by the Health on the Net Foundation.

Consumer Guide to Dentistry is a registered trademark of Ceatus Media Group LLC.