Modern equipment combined with up to date education.
We strive to obtain patient relationships based on mutual trust, excellent customer service, and the best patient care available. We provide the highest level of safety and infection control for personal protection. We believe each patient should take an active role in their care, which is why we focus on patient education. Our staff also respects you and your time demands. We encourage you to ask questions so that you can make informed decisions about your dental health.
Intra oral cameras
Most dental hygienists and dentists use intraoral cameras to educate their patient about his/her oral health. With the use of the camera, the patient is able to see the condition of his/her teeth and helps the dentist in discussing the disease condition of the teeth and how it could be prevented.
Designed to allow clinicians to capture and display digital images from inside a patient’s mouth, intraoral cameras are a valuable tool for patient education and case documentation. Shaped like a small wand, many dental intraoral cameras are highly portable and easily connect to a computer wirelessly, via USB or via a docking station. Most commonly equipped with LEDs, these digital cameras can capture images without the need for external lighting.
Digital x-ray
Digital X-Rays Use Lower Amounts of Radiation. A digital X-ray requires less radiation to capture a high-resolution image than the traditional X-rays used a few decades ago. Depending on the type of film, equipment, and image being taken, it may be as much as a 90% reduction in exposure! As such, it’s safe to say that today’s dental X-rays are extremely safe
Compared to not getting dental X-rays, the tiny amount of radiation exposure is an important trade off. Why? Because diagnostic imaging allows dentists to see inside and around the tooth structures where pathology (such as bone loss, oral cancer, or tooth decay) commonly lurk. Diagnosing them as early as possible allows for less-invasive and more cost-effective treatments. Otherwise, such problems can’t be detected until they’ve reached an advanced state that requires more aggressive therapies to manage.
A Daily Dose of Background Radiation. Every day, we’re exposed to radiation. It comes from the sun, our cell phones, and even riding in an airplane (the longer the airplane ride, the more radiation you’re exposed to!)
But when you get a set of four “bitewing” X-rays (the images that are usually taken about once a year to check for new cavities,) the total amount of radiation is only about 0.005 mSv (millisieverts,) which is less than an average daily dose of radiation in everyday life.
To give you an idea of other types of radiation encountered in everyday activities, consider these comparisons:
- Going through an airport security scanner 80 times is the equivalent to a single day of casual radiation exposure. 1,000 times equals the amount of radiation used for a chest X-ray.
- An average 7-hour plane ride exposes each passenger to approximately 0.02 mSv (or 16 small dental X-rays)
Why is a Lead Apron Really Necessary?
Radiology and health experts follow the rule of ALARA, or “as low as reasonably achievable.” This means limiting the risk of scatter radiation to staff and patents. While scatter radiation is minimal, it cannot perforate lead. As such, lead aprons are used to shield tissues that are most sensitive to radiation, including the thyroid gland and reproductive organs. While the risk is extremely low, the apron essentially prevents radiation exposure to other parts of the body that are of greater concern.
Nitrous oxide sedation
Popularly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a gas that is non-flammable and colorless. The gas is administered to the patient as part of the preparation process for a dental procedure.
Nitrous oxide/oxygen is a blend of two gases, oxygen and nitrous oxide. We administer nitrous oxide/oxygen through a small breathing mask which we place over the child’s and adults nose, allowing them to relax, but without putting them to sleep. The effects only last for 3-5 minutes after the mask has been removed. You will not experience any “hangover” effects from the nitrous oxide and you will be able to safely drive yourself home after the procedure.
Nitrous oxide is a colorless, odorless to sweet-smelling inorganic gas that was first used in surgical and dental anesthesia in the mid-1800s. Today, the combination of inhaled nitrous oxide and oxygen, when used appropriately, can be a safe and effective means of managing pain and anxiety in dentistry. Referred to as “conscious sedation,” “relative analgesia,” or “nitrous oxide-oxygen sedation” inhaled nitrous oxide-oxygen is the most used gaseous anesthetic in the world.