Technology has revolutionized the way we take care of our teeth, gums, and the rest of the oral cavity. It has definitely revolutionized how dental providers practice dentistry. We have experienced advances in technology that allow us to do things that were unimaginable in years past.
With all this change comes a lot of challenges. It is difficult to keep up with the advances and to make sure that the claims of a product’s developer hold up to scrutiny.
Every year 1000’s new products, materials, and techniques are introduced to the dental marketplace. Most of these products are simply repackaging old technology with new claims of improvement, or slick packaging and advertising designed to appeal to a certain market demographic. Some are new products that have little evidence of benefit despite their big claims. Amazingly, many of them are sold not on their medical merit but on how much money they will make for the dentist that uses them.
We are committed to bringing the latest technological advances to our patients. Sifting through all of this information requires a steadfast commitment to excellence in clinical care and the choosing of products based on their merit as medical treatments. We adhere to a philosophy of evidence-based dentistry which forces us to research the benefits and risks associated with each new piece of equipment to make sure that it improves the overall quality of care. There have been many products that were adopted too quickly, only to find out later, they did not live up to their marketer’s grand claims.
Digital Radiography
Digital x-rays don’t just help the environment, they also provide you with a better diagnostic tool for uncovering the health of your overall oral cavity. Digital x-rays provide Dr. Lanza and staff with improved image quality while also reducing the amount of radiation exposure you come into contact with. Collecting your scans has never been easier or quicker than with digital x-rays. The information they render helps prevent serious conditions from developing or advancing. Digital dental x-rays have the ability to take multiple intra-oral images in minimal time with far less radiation exposure than conventional radiography. This means you get a thorough, comprehensive treatment plan with up to 85 percent less exposure to radiation. Providing a safer, healthier form of radiography is possible with digital dental x-rays than with the conventional radiography system. Using this advanced technology, we take an x-ray of your mouth using a small sensor that records the image of your teeth and transfers it to our computer. The computer then broadcasts a highly detailed image of your mouth that can be enhanced, enlarged, sharpened, colorized, or displayed as a negative to more effectively diagnose dental conditions and determine the treatment you need. The software used to manage the x-rays can enhance the image but doesn’t alter the data. These capabilities are impossible with conventional film x-rays.
Digital Panorex
A digital panoramic x-ray, or pan, is a type of radiograph that produces an image of your teeth, jaws, sinuses and other adjacent surrounding anatomical structures. What makes a panoramic dental x-ray so unique is that the imaging machine is located outside of the patient’s oral cavity. The system projects a beam into the patient’s mouth and rotates on the opposite side of the x-ray tube. Because it utilizes digital technology the image is then transferred to the computer monitor for observation. Dr. Lanza is able to visualize the location of major nerves, developing teeth and pathologies. A panoramic x-ray is a great diagnostic tool for the overall health of your oral cavity.
Intra-oral Camera
Put simply, an intraoral camera is a small imaging device that captures photos of the inside of your mouth. In contrast to x-rays, which can show the internal structures of your teeth & jaws, an intraoral camera shows the outside of your teeth & gums in high detail. The reality is that many dental conditions don’t cause pain or visual signs that you can easily see with the naked eye. This sometimes makes it harder for patients to understand what the dentist is seeing that led to a certain diagnosis. Luckily, intraoral cameras are linked to a computer monitor in the dental operatory. That means Dr. Lanza, or a staff member can show you instantly what the camera sees, and you can better understand possible needed treatment.
Intra-oral Scanner
Intraoral scanners are a crucial component of modern dental practice, allowing for more accurate restorations. Digital impressions also improve the patient experience by reducing chair-time and the overall number of visits. Intraoral scanners are devices that can create a 3D picture of a patient’s teeth with a lot less discomfort and mess than traditional dental impressions. An image made with an intraoral scanner is essentially a photograph, so radiation exposure is not a concern. It eliminates many of the time-consuming and often imprecise steps that are associated with traditional impressions. A digital impression taken by an intraoral scanner delivers a quick, accurate image of the treatment area. The nuisances of taking an impression with putty and filling it with messy plaster are no longer factors. What’s more, there is no need to worry about the distortions that can occur due to the inconsistent nature of traditional impression materials.
