High-technology innovations--and limitations--for restorative dentistry.

Technology has brought some exciting advances to dentistry--restorations that can be produced in one appointment and fit as well as cast restorations; laser procedures that arrest early caries, etch enamel, and that the patient finds more comfortable; and improved diagnostic capabilities through computer-enhanced images. Dental applications of these technologies are in their infancy and most of the limitations discussed in this article will be eliminated in the near future. More and more applications and possibilities are continually evolving. Technology promises to enhance dentistry for the clinician and patient alike.