5000 years before the birth of Christ, the ancient Sumerians talked of tooth worms as the cause of Dental decay. The Egyptians went even further and inscriptions on the tomb of Hesy-Re refers to him as “the greatest of those who deal with teeth, and of physicians” – the earliest known reference to a person as a dental practitioner. A Dentist – who diagnoses, helps prevent, and treat diseases and conditions of the oral cavity, is no ordinary professional, his knowledge base having been enriched over time immemorial.
As a matter of fact, Dentistry is not a standalone profession any more, it being increasingly associated with Cosmesis (the preservation, restoration, or bestowing of bodily beauty. In the medical context, it usually refers to the surgical correction of a disfiguring defect, or the cosmetic improvements made by a surgeon following incisions). The reference is obvious – evolution has ensured that dentistry grow out of the confinement of providing solace to rotting teeth and decaying gums and metamorphose to embrace the aesthetic enhancement through dental care as well.
This emerging importance of Cosmesis as a trend is quiet obviously visible all around us and is being increasingly driven by a population that is young, urban and has the cash to spare. The rapid proliferation of dental clinics bears witness to this trend and if industry watchers are to be believed, chances are that it will become only more pronounced in the years to come. For one, the access to and availability of proper dental care givers are woefully low in the country. With increasing incomes and the spread of awareness, this latent demand, in its wake will create the supplies to cater to itself. Besides, with medical tourism slated to explode the way it is promising to, greater requirement in the segment will also be driven by overseas patients seeking treatment (or is it enhancement) in countries like India with premium facilities at bargain basement prices.
Cosmetic Dentistry will also get a huge fillip from the advancements relating to whitening that will, kind of, last forever. Research in the area is beginning to unveil the secrets of how teeth react to whitening products and indications are that the treatments (and the concoctions) will be available shortly which is slated to be a game changer. Herbal dentistry – the use of herbs and plant extracts following traditions seeped in antiquity too is coming up in a big way, claim some apologists, though differentiating the fad from the fiction may be easier rinsed than done.
Similarly pain limiting for common procedures too will be making its presence felt in the immediate term which promises to make the trip to the dentist the least frightening since the dawn of time (and dentistry), apart from making a qualitative difference in terms of the costs involved. Advancements in laser technology, which is still generally confined to the cosmetic side of dentistry is slated to take lasers mainstream and ensure their application in a wide variety of treatments like periodontal therapy for example.
Another development that promises to turn dental care in its head is the increased access to information and knowledge brought about by the rapid proliferation of internet based services. Patients are not only much more informed in the present, but are also getting increasingly discerning. Armed with the right information they are demanding services that best suit their specific needs and getting them. Even small deviations from the expected or promised norms are ensuring immediate, even retaliatory umbrage in the social media which is forcing the industry, like everyone else, to buck up and deliver. Internet based applications which are not only great tools for dissemination of information are also doing a huge service to the world of dentistry by spreading awareness about a host of related areas like the need for oral hygiene and why that trip to the dentist should not be postponed.