LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, a complicated string of words that basically means a single wavelength beam of highly concentrated light energy.
Lasers have transformed medical surgery by offering minimally-invasive alternatives to traditional scalpel incisions and sutured closures. The laser’s intense, narrow wavelength has precise, predictable, and powerful reactions when it contacts the soft tissues of the body. Laser light is extremely efficient, producing very little heat as it acts on its target. This makes it ideal for oral surgery since it seldom affects tissues other than those it targets. The laser provides precise control over the depth and extent of cutting, while simultaneously minimizing bleeding and sterilizing the treatment area.
Currently, dental applications include gum disease treatments, gum re-contouring, incision cauterizing and tissue fusion, lesion reparation, and biopsies.
Enjoy renewed oral freshness with BreathRx. If you are one of the millions of Americans who live with bad breath, or halitosis, BreathRx can help. Bad breath occurs when the bacteria in your mouth reproduce and feed at a faster rate than your saliva rinses them away. This process releases gaseous waste products, which cause foul-smelling odors known as volatile sulfur compounds, or VSCs.
Many people try to treat bad breath with minty gum or mouthwash, but these solutions only mask the problem without fixing the root cause. In fact, these products can dry out your mouth and actually aggravate halitosis. The BreathRx treatment system attacks the causes of breathing problems, killing bad-breath-causing bacteria and neutralizing foul smells.
With this system, you follow a simple three-step process: brush, scrape and rinse. Using the BreathRx toothpaste takes your brushing regimen to the next level by breaking up trapped food particles and attacking stubborn VSCs. Because your tongue is usually the main culprit of bad breath, the system includes a tongue scraper that will sweep away leftover food and odor-causing bacteria. The final step involves an antibacterial rinse that keeps your mouth and breath feeling fresh.
Finding Decay the Easy Way
One of the most important things we do for our patients is to identify and fill cavities. Since any spot of decay can threaten the integrity of an entire tooth, detection is key to preventing a host of potential problems. Lengthy poking and probing sessions have been an acceptable, if not very comfortable, part of dental exams for years. However, such methods of decay detection are only 50 to 75-percent successful. Cavities can hide along fissure lines or inside biting and occlusal surfaces. Further, mechanical exploratory methods are limited to finding only those cavities that are equal to or larger than the probe head. To make the process more comfortable and comprehensive, we use DIAGNOdent, a revolutionary dental laser that finds cavities in the earliest stages.
Laser Reflection Spots Imperfection
DIAGNOdent technology uses a laser diode to inspect teeth, comparing reflection wavelength against a healthy baseline wavelength to uncover decay. First, we take a benchmark reading by aiming the laser onto one of your healthy enamel tooth surfaces, shining the laser into all suspect areas. As it pulses into grooves, fissures, and cracks, the laser reflects fluorescent light of a specific wavelength which is measured by receptors, converted to an acoustic signal, evaluated electronically to reveal a value between 1 and 100, and then displayed on a screen. Any variation from the healthy baseline value stimulates emission of a different wavelength and alerts us to a weakened area of decay. Not surprisingly, this technology quickly and precisely identifies even the tiniest bit of decay. This means shallower, simpler fillings, preserving more tooth structure, and providing a specific means of monitoring suspicious areas. No X-rays are required with DIAGNOdent, so patients do not have to worry about radiation exposure.
What We See Is What We Get
We’ve invested in a new way of looking into your mouth – a procedure that’s fast, comfortable, and incredibly precise. Using digital radiography, we can clearly identify all external and internal anatomical structures and accurately diagnose your dental problems. Even more amazing, we can immediately translate that information into a large, clear, accurate image, projected onto a monitor that patient and doctor can study together in the operatory.
You won’t even have to leave your chair. Digital radiography’s technology improves and simplifies the way we care for our patients’ teeth, resulting in better dental evaluations and treatment decisions. As the most important member of your dental team, you need to understand the condition of your mouth, as well as our recommendations for treatment. Digital radiographs help us help you.
Reduced Radiation, Radical Results
Traditionally, dentists used X-rays to see what the naked eye could not; X-rays were developed in a darkroom with hazardous chemicals, and then viewed on a special light board. The developed X-rays had to be stored, which required large filing systems. By far, the worst part of traditional X-rays was the radiation exposure to patients. Digital radiography has completely transformed this process.
Now, when you come into the office for X-rays, a tiny sensor is placed in your mouth to emit a small amount of radiation – up to 90-percent less than traditional X-rays required. This creates a detailed image of your internal oral structures that is immediately viewable on a chairside monitor, carrying with it all the conveniences of other digitized images. We can rotate and magnify it, adjust it for contrast, and even color-code it for educational purposes. The digital images store easily and efficiently in our computer files, safe and sound. For insurance purposes, referrals, or patient education, digital X-rays can be easily, inexpensively, and accurately reproduced indefinitely.
Digital X-rays offer unparalleled benefits over traditional radiographs: they’re convenient, safe for the environment, provide a great opportunity for patient education, can be transferred and copied accurately, and best of all, they’re safer for our patients.
People seldom have a clear idea of the actual status of their dental health. Even with lights and mirrors, a patient can’t see what the dentist can – that is, until now.
We use intraoral cameras, so when you visit the dentist, you can sit comfortably back in the chair and get ready for the show. The dentist or hygienist will insert a pen-sized, camera-tipped wand into your mouth. Covered with a disposable plastic sheath for contamination prevention, the wand simply takes a video of the inside of your mouth and transmits the images via cable to a computing unit. The computing unit enlarges the full-color images and sends them to a TV screen that you can comfortably view from the dental chair. Aha! There it is – your mouth on the screen. The dentist can point out problem areas and explain his recommendations for treatment, so you’ll become an informed partner in your dental care instead of a clueless bystander.
Seeing your dental problems may seem overwhelming at first, but consider the experience the first step toward a healthier, fresher smile. The camera may reveal the early stages of potentially serious problems, allowing you the opportunity to prevent small problems before they escalate. This is especially helpful with gum disease and conditions that cause damage without causing pain. The camera’s honest survey can also show you how your regular home hygiene routine is paying off. The dental hygienist or dentist can recommend ways to improve your homecare based on their findings.
If you’d like to replace your missing teeth with a lifelike, comfortable, affordable prosthetic, consider a Valplast Flexible Partial. These soft, lightweight partial dentures are created to bend and move with your mouth, which increases comfort.
Rest assured, Valplast is no fly-by-night company. Since 1953, Valplast has created millions of prescription partials for satisfied dental patients. Reliable, durable materials contribute to longevity, while the esthetic design makes the prosthetic look natural.
To maintain your Valplast partial and good oral health,
Visit Valplast online to learn more: www.valplast.com.