Cologne in Germany shone like bright white teeth, as the International Dental Show (IDS) came to town. There were more dentists on display than you could poke a stick at. Innovation was at the forefront like buck teeth prior to the popularity of orthodontic braces. What the 2023 International Dental Show showed us was jaw dropping and gum numbingly amazing. This is the largest trade show in the world. Imagine over 1700 exhibitors from 60 different countries and 120,000 visitors checking out what’s new in dentistry. This was the 40th time the IDS had been held and was easily the best ever.
What Was Hot At IDS in 2023?
Face scanning in 3D is going to become very big around the globe in the realm of dentistry. Intraoral scans used in combination with extraoral 3D facial scans are going to provide the most accurate rendering for far more comprehensive treatment plans. Hand-held and desktop facial scanners are going to be scanning patients for their benefit going into a much brighter dental future. It is all about more precise measurements and speed. Greater accuracy and clearer resolutions allowing for a wider range of dental applications. These will be brilliant for orthodontics, implant placement, and designing smiles.
“Two trends were clearly recognizable at the 40th International Dental Show 2023: The stringent digital workflow and an improved sustainability. For example, digital X-rays that are upside down can be turned the right way around using artificial intelligence, whereby the image plate scanner used is produced in a CO2 neutral way. In addition, the digital workflow in the laboratory is becoming more effective. For example, two models can be scanned now in the extraoral scanner at once.”
– Dental News
Artificial intelligence & Dentistry
AI is taking the world by storm and dental applications are no exception. At the IDS in Cologne, there were multiple examples of AI assisting dentists to perform better diagnoses and treatment planning. It seems that dental software is utilising increasingly sophisticated AI algorithms in the analysis of dental imaging data. Training machines to examine X-rays, scans, and images is paying bid dividends in the dental care game. Of course, there will always be a place for human oversight to ensure that no errors are made. The quality of the images remains a defining element, as to how well the AI performs in these roles.
Virtual Models & Navigated Surgery
Implant dentistry is embracing navigated surgery and the improvements in this area is exciting. The use of advanced imagery and 3D mapping technologies are providing increased precision for dentists in this procedural format. The software’s ability to recreate a virtual exact model of the patient’s oral cavity and surrounding bone structure is fantastic. More successful implant surgeries with fewer complications are outcomes most dentists value highly. Reduced procedural times are another positive when using virtual modelling and navigated surgery.
3D Dental Printers
“J3 DentaJet 3D printer, which is aimed at smaller dental labs, features biocompatible resins and can create mixed parts for crown and bridge models, implantology and orthodontic models, all in the same print job. Its large circular-build tray and high-speed mode can help labs to scale and boost output; printed parts are cured during the process, minimizing post-processing.”
– Medical Expo Emag
Printing teeth is no longer a dream of science fiction and futurists. However, some pundits questioned the long term integrity of 3D printed resin materials. There are, it seems, still doubts about biocompatibility and the comparison strength of the product with ceramics. We would hate to see a throwaway mentality invade dental restoration as there is with the manufacturing of many modern electronic products today. The jury is still out on whether 3D dental printing can improve over time to make a big investment in this technology worthwhile for dentists.
Oral Microbiome For Dental Care At IDS
“The number of products containing probiotics, viable bacteria with proven health benefits, entering the market is increasing. Traditionally, probiotics have been associated with gut health, and most clinical interest has been focused on their use for prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal infections and diseases; however, during the last decade several investigators have also suggested the use of probiotics for oral health purposes. The aim of this review is to examine potential mechanisms of probiotic bacteria in the oral cavity and summarize observed effects of probiotics with respect to oral health. The review focuses on probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, genera that are most used in various probiotic products.”
– Haukioja A. Probiotics and oral health. Eur J Dent. 2010 Jul;4(3):348-55. PMID: 20613927; PMCID: PMC2897872.
There has been a swelling of interest in the microbiome and how it can positively impact oral care. This was reflected at the IDS in Cologne in 2023. It is great to see a push in the market for patients to take more responsibility for their own oral health going into the 21C. The dental industry can work together with clients to ensure better outcomes for their health and wellbeing.
Regenerative Dentistry A New Frontier
Perhaps the most exciting and innovative space of all in dentistry is the emergence of regenerative dentistry. Biology is where the most revolutionary stuff is happening in the world today. Imagine being able to restore natural function by employing the body’s own healing function. Stem cells could regenerate tissues like dentin, bone, and gum. Platelet-rich plasma therapy enriched with growth factor could do this also and provide general healing at a much quicker rate. Guided tissue regeneration is another field being explored. Things are moving at pace here and it will not be very long before we begin to see some truly amazing outcomes.
International Dental Show Big News On World Stage
What the 2023 International Dental Show showed was that dentistry is big business. That this is the largest global trade show tells us something! Teeth are important to us and this is borne out by the burgeoning business of fixing teeth. The technological advancements occurring are impressive and they are happening at an ever increasing rate. Our teeth are involved in two extremely primal activities, which are essential to the survival of our species. Eating and sex. The eating bit is obvious, but the human smile is intrinsically associated with our sexual appeal to those we are attracted to. Dentists know all about the value of the smile to their businesses and profession. Human life is balanced on those rows of teeth and what they can do for us. Make em shine and the sun can shine down upon us. A visit to the next IDS in Cologne will be well worth pencilling in on the calendar for 2025.
