A blog by Dr. Aslam Inamdar In the past decade or so, dentistry has grown by leaps and bounds, and there has been a paradigm shift due to newer advances in technology and materials. Although digital dentistry tools to capture patient data, diagnose, plan, and related CAD-CAM tools are freely available, one needs to be thorough with their clinical dentistry protocols. Although there is no dearth of digital tools and software available to a practicing dentist, a good workflow is of utmost importance.

Only then can digital tools and software help deliver faster, better, predictable, and, more importantly, repeatable restorations to the patients. To summarize, merely amassing gadgets and software is not digital dentistry. Rather, it is the clinical application of these tools and the investment of time to learn how to make optimal use of these in our patients' best interest. I believe dentistry today is more than just being a dentist fixing issues related to teeth.

We all have been taught at universities about the stomatognathic system related to the head, face, and neck. Dental issues can have a long-lasting effect on the body as a whole. Every expert focuses solely on his area of expertise. So far, our entire focus has been to get biological and functional rehabilitation, mostly giving the least importance to esthetics. Even though we deliver, we leave our patients emotionally handicapped. Like any other architect, an orofacial architect collects the necessary information in real-time, understands the client's desires, uses technology, imagination, and expertise to create 3D miniatures of the proposed plan.

This creates harmony between the aesthetics and usability of the project. Similarly, in today's times, the orofacial architect becomes the pilot of the project who starts his plan with maximum aesthetics as a priority and finding a balance between form, function, and biology. Once the aesthetic plan is approved, then the clinical aspect begins in reverse order. Thus giving importance to biology, form, function, and completed with a possible and desired level of aesthetics by the patient in the plan. This way, we address the often neglected aspect of dentistry- emotional dentistry! Dr. Aslam Inamdar

By - Rich Smile Design