IDS 2019 to present latest digital strategies in orthodontics

COLOGNE, Germany: Digital technologies are changing the tools and solutions available in orthodontics. Organisers of the upcoming International Dental Show (IDS), taking place from 12 to 16 March 2019 in Cologne, say visitors will have the opportunity to experience the latest developments in orthodontics regarding diagnostics, therapy planning, therapy and aftercare.

In the areas of diagnostics and therapy planning, owners of established practices have a number of options regarding upgrades to new technologies, while founders of new practices are now relying almost exclusively on digitalised tools and workflows. According to the IDS organisers, 3-D radiographic units, intra-oral scanners, and the virtual set-up and design of orthodontic equipment are just a few examples of the tools and procedures that visitors to the exhibition will be able to experience.

Many of the changes that digital technologies have effected in orthodontics are irrefutable and their benefits are clear, such as in aligner therapy, where digital technologies now dominate preparatory measures for aesthetic dentistry. Regarding some of the emerging digital tools, however, such as support through artificial intelligence (AI), their scale of influence remains to be seen. At IDS, visitors will have the opportunity to inspect a number of different products related to aligner therapy treatment, such as software and virtual reality options for the subclassification of complex tooth movements, and to learn about the trend towards the use of AI support to warn of extreme tooth movements. According to the show organisers, AI-aided support of this nature is becoming more conceivable as the databases that would substantiate these tools continue to grow.

The forthcoming instalment of the biennial trade fair will help practice owners learn about the developments that are driving orthodontics forward. “IDS 2019 will help visitors advance forward in all these points,” commented Mark Stephen Pace, Chairman of the Association of the German Dental Industry (VDDI), in a press release. “This is important because carrying out a consistent orthodontic treatment at an early point in time enables the avoidance of complications in later years from the very beginning. The world’s biggest showcase for dental medicine and dental technology in Cologne from 12 to 16 March 2019 contributes greatly to this,” he said.

IDS takes place at the Koelnmesse fairground in Cologne every two years and is organised by the Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie, the commercial enterprise of the VDDI, in collaboration with Koelnmesse. More information on the event and registration can be found here.