Technology

CBCT stands for cone-beam computed tomography. In normal English, this is a machine that let's us take 3-D xrays. This is essential for us to safely plan implant surgeries and allows us to see the teeth and surrounding landmarks with much more certainty than ever before. It helps us find canals for root canal therapy, check for infections, and do safe extractions. We also send every 3-D xray we take to a dental radiology specialist for a detailed evaluation.

Dental implants are rapidly emerging as the preferred solution for replacing missing teeth. Patients love it when they get a new tooth or set of teeth that don’t have to come in and out of their mouths. They’re the closest replacement to a natural tooth that dentistry has at this time! Denture patients love them too as they steady a denture so that it doesn’t fall out – with snap-on connectors to implants, “overdentures” (dentures that snap on/off of implants) only come off when you take them off! While they are on the more costly side of the treatment options, any patient who gets them absolutely loves them and considers them well worth the investment.

We take all of our x-rays with digital sensors. This includes the individual exposures as well as the panoramic one that goes all the way around the head.

Digital x-rays provide added safety as well as convenience. Digital sensors require less than half of the radiation needed to take x-rays with traditional film. This provides less radiation exposure for our patients! And because the image shows up on our computers, we can see right away if we captured the right anatomy and can show it in great detail, enlarged on our screens. This saves time for our patients and improves our ability to diagnose correctly.

We have a Trios digital scanner that allows us to take 3-D photos of your mouth and teeth. In particular, this helps us provide two particular services. For crowns, it allows us to take a picture scan of your teeth instead of taking a putty impression (the "goop"). This saves everyone time because we can simply send the digital scan to the lab instead of mailing a physical impression. The other place this scanner helps is for guided implant surgery. Guided surgeries are more predictable and safe because this scan and a 3-D xray allow us plan the exact location of the implant to avoid poor angulation or getting too close to other anatomic landmarks. A great example of technology that makes treatment faster and safer!

If you have very sensitive gums, exposed root surfaces, and/or need to undergo a “deep” cleaning, it might be necessary to provide some form of anesthesia in order to get you through the appointment. In many cases, topical anesthetic doesn’t provide enough numbness, but a needle-based anesthetic is too much.

We have a product called Oraqix that is the perfect medium. While it looks similar to a needle, it’s not an injection. We place this medium-level anesthetic around the teeth, under the gums, and it gets the patient numb just around the gums for the sake of a cleaning. Of course, we have the occasional patient who needs to get completely numb, but Oraquix is often a good middle ground to get a patient through a cleaning.

This ultrasonic device is frequently used by our hygienists during regular and deep cleanings. By using this instrument, caked-on calculus is removed with much greater efficiency as the ultrasonic frequency breaks up the buildup. Since it sprays water, the irrigation helps to flush out any “pockets” that form under the gums around the teeth. It’s also a definite help in removing some or most stains that gather from too much coffee, wine, or smoking.

Treatment always makes more sense when you see and know what’s going on. An intraoral camera allows us to show our patients what a given tooth looks like in great detail because the picture of that tooth is shown enlarged on a computer screen. This way, you see what we see. This always provides a much greater understanding of what’s going on since it’s true that “a picture is worth a thousand words!”