Dental technology has come a long way in the last few centuries. In eras past, a local barber or even a neighbor would perform dental extractions and basic oral exams. In modern times, we benefit from incredible dental technology. At the Mountain Aire Dentistry office, we have revolutionary services available to our patients that weren’t available years ago. Some of these services are CEREC Same-Day Crowns, Invisalign, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening and more. Mountain Aire Dentistry seeks to provide you the best dental technology possible for creating your beautiful smile. Learn more about the dental advances available at your fingertips and what they can do for you.

Tidbits About Dentistry

The American Dental Association has discovered much about the history of dentistry. It was a gradual process to reach our current time period of modern dental technology. Hippocrates and Aristotle wrote about dentistry between 500-300 B.C. They were knowledgeable about tooth decay, the pattern of the teeth and how to extract them with forceps. Anesthesia was not something common during that time period, so that last one sounds pretty painful. Egyptian texts from 1700 B.C. discuss oral diseases and their remedies. From 166 A.D. and later, the Etruscans practiced dental prosthetics with gold crowns and bridgework. Around 1210, an organization of barbers (called the “Guild of Barbers”) emerged. Trained surgeons performed oral operations and lay barbers performed hygienic services. Barbers even performed extractions and other surgical procedures on their patrons as well. Can you imagine that happening today?

Dentistry came to America in 1760 with the first trained dentist, John Baker. From there, more and more dentists were trained to provide dental services in the U.S. The American Society of Dental Surgeons was formed in 1856. The first dental school, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, was established in 1840. They merged with the University of Maryland in 1923. The American Dental Association was formed in 1859 and is the same organization that we know today.

First Dental Advances

Dentistry was not regulated up until the last few centuries. Many dentists experimented with new ways to provide dental care and some had crude methods of providing dental work. One example is forcefully moving teeth into position and tying them to surrounding teeth until they healed. The creation of many modern dental tools came about because of many experimenting dentists:

• Novocain (1905, Alfred Einhorn)
• Screw implants (1937, Alvin Strock)
• Fluoride (1945)
• Bonding (1949, Oskar Hagger)
• Drill (1957, John Borden)
• Lasers for soft-tissue work (1960)
• Teeth-whitening (1989)
• Aesthetic dentistry with bleaching, veneers and implants (1990 – now)

Dental Technology Today

Every year, dentistry continues to advance. Every year, we also make sure we have only the best, high-quality dental technology for your treatment. Our office is unique because we offer general dentistry treatments, aesthetic cosmetic options and even surgical treatments for our patients. What are our dental technology services available to you?

• CEREC Same-Day Crowns – Crowns used to take days and weeks from start to finish. They had to be sent to labs outside the office to be made. Our tooth-restoration CEREC treatments have now become something you can receive in a single office visit. That means less worry and more convenience for you. We can create natural-looking ceramic crowns in-office that will last for years.
• Invisalign – Invisalign transparent aligners are a way you can discreetly straighten your teeth at your leisure. You’ll transform your smile over time and in secret. We use a series of clear, removable aligners that are custom-made for you, molding your teeth into a straighter position over time. These can conveniently be removed when needed. 
• Porcelain Veneers – Our veneers can give you an amazing, brilliant smile that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible before. We take a very thin layer off the front of your teeth after a mold of them has been made. These molds go to a special lab, where pristine veneer shells will be custom-made for each tooth. These shells are applied and hardened to the teeth in office. You’ll leave with a radiant, white and straight smile that will last for years.
• Teeth Whitening – Teeth whitening has advanced immensely since its creation. Bleaching the teeth used to lead to intense sensitivity and took days or weeks to achieve. Modern-day whitening won’t produce such harsh sensitivity. You now can receive an in-office full whitening treatment in one visit. This is perfect for preparing for an upcoming special event in your life.

Our advanced dental technology services will help your smile be the most beautiful it can be. Visit our website to see all of our cosmetic dentistry procedures. We also have services to help you with tooth decay, gum disease, bite problems and aesthetic concerns. At Mountain Aire Dentistry, you can be sure you’re always getting the best quality procedures. Visit our website or call us today at (303) 731-7755 to learn more about our advanced dental technology!