Our Dental Technology
Platte City, MO
Professional dental care is essential for maintaining optimal oral health. To help you keep your mouth healthy, we rely on special tools and technology. Dental technology has come a long way in recent years, allowing us to provide you with the high-quality care that you deserve. At Platte Valley Dental Care, we use the latest dental technologies, allowing us to improve the outcomes of your procedures and your overall satisfaction.
An intraoral camera is a handheld device about the size of a large pen. It has a small optical camera on one end and is attached to a computer on the other. This camera provides us with a modern alternative to the small handheld mirror you may be more familiar with.
When we place the camera in your mouth and move it around, we can view your mouth in real time on a computer monitor. We can also take stills, which enable us to take a more in-depth look at your mouth without you having to keep your mouth open for long periods. This can greatly increase your comfort during your dental procedures.
X-rays are an integral component of both routine dental exams as well as exams to diagnose specific issues. These images show us the hidden areas of your mouth, including between your teeth and below your gumline. We can spot a multitude of different issues, including cavities, root damage, bone loss, impacted teeth, and more. Today, we use digital technology to take these images.
The images we capture using a digital sensor are displayed almost immediately on a computer monitor, eliminating the need to develop images in a dark room. We can zoom in on specific areas of your images to see the smallest details of your mouth, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatment plan. Additionally, digital x-rays reduce radiation exposure by up to 95%.
Dental crowns are a common treatment used to restore damaged or decayed teeth. They are small caps that encase the entire visible surface of the affected teeth, providing them with protection from further harm and infections while also restoring their strength. Typically, crowns require two separate appointments, during which time a temporary crown is used to protect the tooth while you wait for your crown to be completed.
With same day crowns, you receive your ceramic crowns in a single appointment, eliminating the need for a temporary crown and additional appointments. After preparing the damaged tooth, we take a digital impression of your mouth. This impression is used to design your custom crown. The information is sent to an in-house milling unit. A ceramic block is placed inside, and the crown is cut out. We are then able to make any necessary adjustments in the office and place the crown all in the same appointment.
Diagnodent is a laser technology that enables us to detect cavities that are developing below the surface of the enamel of your teeth, where visual exams and digital x-rays cannot find them. A laser emits a harmless beam of fluorescent light into your mouth. The light bounces back onto a diode laser. Healthy teeth reflect little to no fluorescence. Decay, on the other hand, will reflect higher amounts, which are translated into a number on the base of the laser. The higher the number, the greater the amount of decay.
Many dental procedures have traditionally been performed using a scalpel. While effective, the scalpel causes a significant amount of bleeding and tissue trauma. Today, many procedures typically requiring a scalpel can be performed using a soft tissue laser. The laser emits a thin, concentrated beam of light that can be used to remove soft tissue. As the laser cuts, it cauterizes the tissue, reducing bleeding. It is also incredibly accurate. Not only are we able to target and remove the necessary tissue, but the laser also reduces tissue trauma, reducing pain, swelling, and recovery times.
3D imaging is a type of scan that takes a 3-dimensional picture of the structures inside of your mouth. This is done using a cone-shaped x-ray beam that rotates 360 degrees around your head. As the beam rotates, it takes a series of images. These images are then pieced together to create a single 3D image that is displayed almost immediately on a computer monitor. With this type of image, we can see your mouth from many different angles, allowing us to diagnose a variety of different issues and plan the most effective treatments possible.
Advances in dental technology have greatly increased the quality of care that we can provide, the outcomes of different procedures, and overall patient satisfaction. For more information about the technology used in our office, call Platte Valley Dental Care today at (816)858-2027.
|
