Technology

A panoramic x-ray, also known as a panorex, is a type of dental x-ray that creates a two-dimensional image of your entire jaw, including teeth, upper and lower jaws, sinuses, and temporomandibular joints (TMJs). Taking a panoramic x-ray is comfortable because they are taken extra-orally (outside the mouth). The x-ray machine rotates around your head to capture the image while you stand still in front of it.

We commonly use panoramic x-rays to plan for dental implants and orthodontic treatment and to detect and diagnose impacted wisdom teeth, jaw tumors, cysts, and TMJ problems.

We use digital x-rays and sensors because they reduce your radiation exposure significantly and offer several other benefits compared to film x-rays.

• Digital x-rays produce clearer, more detailed images, making diagnoses accurate and efficient.
• We can share your x-rays with you on your monitor so that you can see what our dentist sees and follow along during your exam.
• Instead of a bulky film clip held in your mouth, flat digital sensors have rounded corners. The sensor fits comfortably in your mouth to capture the highly-detailed images.
• Digital x-rays are immediately available because there's no processing and no chemicals involved. This reduces your time in the dental chair, and no chemicals means they are environmentally friendly.

Since your x-rays are digital, we can easily store them on our in-house network, making them easy for our team members to access and share with specialists and insurance companies.

When you have restorative dentistry like crowns and bridges, you no longer have to worry about the dreaded goopy paste impressions used in the past. Our high-tech digital impressions do away with the entire messy, uncomfortable process.

Our handheld intraoral scanner captures the impression as our dentist moves it over your teeth. The result is a high-resolution 3-D virtual impression that is far more accurate and precise than the traditional method.

Cone beam imaging, also called CBCT or CBT, allows our dentist to plan dental implant placement and other procedures with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The scan produced by cone beam imaging gives us a detailed 3-D view of your teeth, soft tissue, and upper and lower jaws. Using this technology, we can gauge jawbone density and see the position of sinuses, nerve pathways, and other anatomical structures. This information is invaluable for planning the precise location and position to place dental implants.

An intraoral camera is a small, handheld device used to capture images of the inside of your mouth. The camera is connected to your monitor, which displays the images in real-time so you can follow along with the dentist during your exam.

The camera produces high-resolution images, so we can identify small cavities, cracks, and other issues we can’t see with a visual exam. The images are also great for educating you about your oral health needs. When you see the condition of your teeth close-up, you can better understand why we recommend treatment.

If you experience dental anxiety, nitrous oxide is a type of minimal sedation that helps you relax during your procedure. Nitrous is a gas mixed with oxygen and delivered through a small breathing mask.

As you inhale, nitrous oxide produces a pleasant sensation of calm and well-being, and you’ll feel somewhat detached from the activity around you. We tailor the level of sedation to your needs and carefully monitor you throughout treatment.

When we finish your procedure, we turn off the flow of nitrous so that you can inhale pure oxygen for several minutes. The drowsy effects dissipate quickly, and you will be alert enough to safely drive home from your appointment.

With TVs in all our treatment rooms, you can enjoy some pleasant distraction while we work to improve your oral health.