Technology

SEDATION DENTISTRY for DENTAL ANXIETY

Dental sedation is a technique that can be used when a patient suffers from dental anxiety or dental phobia. We are happy to offer a number of solutions for our patients to make their dental visit as comfortable as possible. Sedation dentistry techniques enable patients - who might otherwise avoid the dentist - to receive dental treatment necessary for a healthy smile.

Depending on the extent of the anxiety or phobia, varying degrees of dental sedation can be utilized as described below. 

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Nitrous Oxide sedation, also known as laughing gas is commonly used to make treatment more comfortable. This sedation is inhaled through a mask that allows you to breathe in the medication and induces a state of relaxation. Local anesthetic will be administered in conjunction with nitrous oxide to eliminate pain. 

Oral Sedatives 

This medication can be given to a patient the night before a dentistry procedure or 30 minutes to an hour prior to the dental appointment, depending on the severity of the anxiety. Oral sedatives do not provide pain relief, so an injection of local anesthetic will also be administered.

The Panorex offers us a view of your teeth, bones, sinuses and the ability to detect any abnormalities. It can also be used to help us treatment plan more effectively. Direct digital technology has become the industry standard for dental panorex machines. 

We use small cameras about the size of a pen, called intraoral cameras, to help clearly see the condition of your teeth and gums.

With this advanced technology we can zoom in on small diseased areas, cracks, chips and worn metal fillings with extreme precision. The full-color images taken with the intraoral camera are sent to a computer screen so we can clearly see and diagnose dental problems much earlier than with traditional dental technology. Because images are displayed on our screens, patients will also be able to see areas being worked on and are able to gain a better understanding of dental procedures being performed.

Essentially, bright blue light is shone into the mouth to expose changes and lesions that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. The healthy soft tissue of the mouth naturally absorbs the VELscope® frequency of blue light. Healthy areas beneath the surface of the soft tissue show up green, and the problem areas become much darker.

The Panorex offers us a view of your teeth, bones, sinuses and the ability to detect any abnormalities. It can also be used to help us treatment plan more effectively. Direct digital technology has become the industry standard for dental panorex machines. 

Fillings

• Composite (plastic) resins are custom made to the exact color of your natural teeth, creating a more natural appearance. White while fillings may be less noticeable than other materials, they usually only last between 3 and 10 years. They may not be ideal for large fillings as they may chip or wear over time. They can also become stained from coffee, tea or tobacco.
• Porcelain fillings are called inlays or onlays and are custom created in a lab and then bonded to the tooth. They can be matched to the color of the tooth, resist staining, and are about the same cost as gold fillings. A porcelain restoration generally covers most of the tooth, making the filling nearly undetectable.

Crowns

Crowns are used to restore and enhance teeth that are damaged, or to take the place of missing teeth. A crown, also referred to as a cap, is used to entirely cover a damaged tooth. A crown not only strengthens a tooth, but it can dramatically improve a tooth's appearance, shape and alignment.

Crowns may be used to:

• Replace a large filling when there is little tooth structure remaining
• Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
• Restore a fractured tooth
• Attach a bridge
• Cover a dental implant
• Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
• Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

While some whitening products can damage enamel, using Zoom with Relief ACP actually protects enamel You can get 8 shades whiter teeth in just one trip to the dentist!

 Zoom WhiteSpeed is the only in-office system that has variable intensity setting so each treatment can be customized to maximize patient comfort. The system also includes desensitizers to help minimize sensitivity and protect your enamel. This dentist-supervised, in-office procedure is safe, effective and clinically proven to whiten up to eight shades—for a brighter, whiter smile in just one office visit.

Our doctor may use this technology to produce three dimensional (3-D) images of your teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone in a single scan.

Benefits of 3D Imaging:

• The focused x-ray beam reduces scatter radiation, resulting in better image quality.
• A single scan produces a wide variety of views and angles that can be manipulated to provide a more complete evaluation.
• Cone beam CT scans provide more information that conventional dental x-ray, allowing for more precise treatment planning.
• CT scanning is painless, noninvasive and accurate.
• A major advantage of CT is its ability to image bone and soft tissue at the same time.
• No radiation remains in a patient's body after a CT examination.
• X-rays used in CT scans should have no immediate side effects.

Lasers can be used for cavity removal, teeth whitening, gum reshaping, and to harden bonding materials used in fillings. In addition, lasers are used in periodontal care to remove bacteria from periodontal pockets. Surgical lasers are more accurate than traditional dental treatments and allow the dentist to conserve as much bone and tooth as possible.

Allows your dentist to detect tooth decay earlier, so you can preserve more of your natural tissue and prevent tooth pain, sensitivity, and other common dental problems that accompany cavities. Detecting cavities earlier also minimizes the aesthetic impact of decay and the expense of more complicated treatment, helping you to better care for your smile.

Digital optical impressions significantly increase efficiency, productivity and accuracy, and make it possible for dentists to e-mail the virtual impression to the laboratory, rather than send a traditional impression or stone model via regular mail. Also, digital impressions can be used to make same day dentistry restorations, thereby speeding up patient treatment and reducing the need for multiple office visits.

Digital impressions include:

• Improved image/impression quality for better-fitting restorations
  Less chair time
• No need for distasteful impression materials that cause some patients to gag
• More comfortable, less anxious experience for patients and the dental team
• Reduced possibility of impression-taking errors and elimination of material inaccuracies for fewer restoration mistakes
• Patients tend to appreciate the new technology and state-of-the-art dental care, so they become more engaged in, and better informed about, the treatment process because they can see their impressions on-screen chair side.
• The scan of the teeth being restored, as well as the opposing teeth and bite, can be completed in just three to five minutes.
• The digital impression can be stored electronically indefinitely, which saves space, contributes to efficient record-keeping, and supports a paper-free environment.
• Green dentistry and eco-friendly aspects include eliminating the need for disposable plastic trays and impression materials, which otherwise would be polluting landfill space; digital data is eliminated with the "delete" button.

Invisalign® Clear Braces Look Better

Metal braces can cause the appearance of the mouth to be unattractive, as though it is filled with awkward chunks of unsightly metal.  They are noticeable, especially on an adult, and can get food caught in them without the wearer even being aware of it.  Invisalign® clear braces are barely noticeable.  They look very much as though the person wearing them is not wearing braces at all.  They are decidedly more attractive than metal braces.

Clear Braces Can Be Removed When Necessary

Once one of our trusted 123 Dentist orthodontics specialist attaches metal braces to someone’s teeth, the braces must remain in place until they are professionally removed.  Invisalign® clear braces are removable.  If, for any reason, the wearer of teeth aligners wishes to remove them for brief periods of time (to eat or drink), he or she may easily do so.

Invisalign® Clear Braces Reduce Damage to Teeth and Gums

Conventional metal braces contain wire and protruding bits of metal that can puncture and scratch the insides of the mouth and gums.  Clear braces are smooth and comfortable. They do not include any sharp edges or protruding edges or bits. Conventional metal braces can affect demineralization and decaying teeth.  They use a great deal of force to straighten the teeth.  These problems do not exist with clear aligners.  Overall, clear braces reduce the damage normally caused by wearing braces, including gum disease and cavities.

Invisalign® Clear Braces Straighten Teeth Faster

Someone who wears metal braces might expect the treatment to take as long as 5 years.  Invisalign® can take from only one year, to a year and a half to work its magic and straighten your teeth.

There are No Surprises with Invisalign® Clear Braces

In considering Invisalign®, dental patients undergo treatment planning that is fully computerized.  Therefore, they know exactly what to expect and how long they will need the braces before they begin wearing them.   Metal braces can be a trial-and-error situation that gives no clear idea of what is to come.

Overall, Invisalign® offers distinct advantages over conventional metal braces. It costs slightly more, but in the end, is well worth the price.  They are more comfortable than metal braces, pose fewer risks to teeth and gums,  and provide beautiful smiles much faster.  Anyone considering Invisalign® should book a consultation with a 123 Dentist community member clinic to determine if he or she is a good candidate to wear them.