Dental Devices and What They Do? By Dr. Daniel Burton, DDS At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

One of the most important ways to feel comfortable while at the dentist’s office is to become accustomed to the dental devices that are located there and what their purpose is. The dental hygienist and the dentist will have their own types of tools which may often be located near one another, considering the close proximity that a dentist and a dental hygienist work together. The amount of dental devices that you may see can be overwhelming which often lead to increased levels of anxiety in dental patients. Once you are familiar in identifying these devices and their purpose, you will feel much more relaxed while in the dentist’s chair.

Generally, every dentist’s office has the same type of dental devices and they will often be from the same brand. The only difference may be who is using the particular dental device. For example, in certain states dental hygienists have more liberty in what they are allowed to work with and the types of procedures they are allowed to perform.

Some general dental devices that dental hygienists use include hand and rotary tools which are generally used manually to clean and polish a patient’s teeth. X ray machines are other dental devices which facilitate dentist diagnosis which are an integral part of a patient’s oral health. Anesthetics and needles are also part of a dental hygienist’s dental tools which help to perform subsequent and potentially painful procedures such as filling a cavity.

Other dental devices which are used outside of the dentist’s office are useful for other types of diagnostic results. Many people suffer from sleep apnea. An interesting fact is that as overweight and obesity continue to rise in the United States, so do the cases of sleep apnea, where doctors have affirmatively linked obesity to the sleeping disorder. There fore, there are two main types of dental devices which are used outside of the dental chair in order to help patients who are suffering from sleep apnea.

These two types of dental devices are called the mandibular advancement device or the MAD and the Tongue retraining devices or the TRD. The mandibular advancement device is the most commonly referred and used type of dental device for sleep apnea. Its appearance is quite similar to that of a standard mouth guard that is used in sporting events. The purpose of this dental device is to keep the lower jaw from opening too widely which is associated with snoring so that the jaw is slightly moved forward and downward to keep slightly shut.

The other dental device, the tongue retraining device, is more like a splint which is used to keep the tongue away from the roof of the mouth in order to keep the airways open. The benefits of these various dental devices have been questioned yet most doctors and dentists do recommend these methods under medical supervision.

So whether it be in the dentist’s office or in your bedroom, getting to know the different dental devices can help you to recognize their function and the great benefits they can offer to your health and well being.

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