With the advance in medical and digital technology, there has been a strong movement to make telehealth more available. This ambition is being matched across all parts of the medical industry, including the dental industry. Telehealth has been a part of medical practice to some degree since the invention of the telephone. The pandemic set a fire under it and made it a standard part of care. The technology and the need for remote healthcare made telehealth services a standard at medical facilities everywhere. Dentistry wasn’t left behind in this movement; modern dental offices offer teledental services, including teleorthodontics. This has served to make orthodontic care more accessible than ever before.
The Move From In-Office Care To Teledentistry
While there continues to be a need for in-person dental visits, they no longer have to be the only way to receive care. Poor oral health is a pandemic of its own in the United States, in part driven by a lack of affordable dental insurance. However, another reason that oral health is a concern is limited access to proper dental care. This is significantly worrying in light of recent studies revealing that our oral health is tied to almost every aspect of our physical health. Higher rates of cancer, heart disease, and dementia-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s have all shown ties to patients with problematic oral health. Even our mental health is impacted as poor oral health can cause embarrassment and low self-esteem.
Every year countless patients of every age and gender are in need of orthodontic care. While the cosmetic benefits of orthodontic care are well-known, its lack can have further-reaching consequences than most know. Teeth that are misaligned have an impact on many areas of oral health. Malocclusion can cause additional strain on our joints, causing or aggravating temporomandibular joint issues such as TMD. It can also elevate the amount of wear and tear our teeth experience, speeding up enamel wear and leading to the appearance of cavities. Misaligned teeth also contribute to the appearance of cavities by providing hard-to-reach crevices where plaque can reside.
All of this means that providing orthodontic care to more people is essential to improving nationwide oral health. Teleorthodontics makes this more possible than ever before. Everything from special software that has been devised to at-home dental impression kits is making it possible to get more people the orthodontic care they need. Dental impressions used to have to be taken in-office; now, a simple kit can be mailed to patients to use and send back. The resulting model is used to plan out their orthodontic care.
The following benefits are available with teleorthodontics:
- Superior access to safer care
- Greater service area for dental offices
- Dental care delivered by qualified professionals
- Reduced costs of care
Over time more states have come to accept teledental services being used in their area. This has led to a greater number of dental insurance providers adding teledentistry to their covered services. This means that there is growing access to these services.
Speaking To Your Dentist About Teleorthodontics
If you’re in need of teleorthodontic care, it’s time to reach out to your dental provider. They’ll inform you of the services available and how they can make getting dental care more convenient and cost-effective. Call and learn more today!
