Technology is truly amazing! It has helped us improve the dental care that we provide for our patients. With advances in modern dentistry, we are able to diagnose dental conditions early – often before they become a more serious problem – and provide more efficient, comfortable care.
Here are some of the ways that we use technology to give you better dental care. When combined with Dr. Carter's experience and skill, you can count on great results!
CBCT 3D Scans
We have advanced x-ray technology to evaluate the teeth and jaws in all 3 dimensions. This technology allows for more ideal placement of implants, detection of infection and abscesses, and evaluation of critical nerves and sinuses.
3D Impressions
Our 3D impression scanner allows us to take impressions without having to use the typical "gooey" material. These digital impressions are extremely accurate allowing for very will fitting crowns and partials. This technology allows for orthodontic treatment with aligners as well as custom nightguards. The impressions that we take with our Medit 3D scanner are able to be 3D printed on our in office 3D printers.
Panoramic X-Rays
Different types of x-rays show different information. A bitewing x-ray, for example, helps us spot decay while a periapical x-ray shows us the whole tooth, including the root. We can use these to identify infection and bone levels.
A panoramic x-ray gives us the big picture – your bone levels, each of your teeth, your jaw joints, and the growth pattern of your teeth. A panoramic x-ray is often used to plan surgeries such as wisdom tooth removal and dental implant placement.
When we take a panoramic x-ray, the machine will move around your head to capture a good image. You must stand still, but don't worry – it only takes a few seconds to complete and provides Dr. Carter with valuable information regarding your oral health.
Intraoral Camera
Have you ever wondered what your dentist sees when looking inside your mouth during an exam? How are cracks or decay identified?
With our small, digital intraoral camera, we can show you exactly what Dr. Carter sees so that you have a greater understanding of your oral health conditions.
Intraoral photographs can be stored in your digital chart, and Dr. Carter can use these to track changes in your oral health over time. We can also email them instantly to your insurance company when additional information is needed for a claim.
NOMAD Digital X-Rays
Digital x-rays provide high-resolution imaging to help Dr. Carter diagnose dental conditions in their earliest stages. He can enhance these images for greater accuracy by increasing the brightness, contrast, and exposure to get the best view of your teeth and bone.
One of the most notable benefits of digital x-rays is that they are extremely safe – in fact, they emit up to 80 percent less radiation than traditional film x-rays.
NOMAD is a portable x-ray device that allows our dental assistant to hold the x-ray unit and take the digital image for our records. This allows for greater efficiency and convenience for our patients because it eliminates running back and forth from the room to capture an image.
3D Printers
Our office has multiple 3D printers that allow us to print models and appliances from our 3D scans. We can print custom nightguards, a series of models for orthodontic movement with aligners, dentures, surgical guides for implant placement, custom impression trays, and almost anything you can think of. This quickly evolving technology will allow more and more uses for dentistry as more resins are made for dental applications.