Technology

Smiles Plus Dental Care, we have many ways that we capture what is going on in the mouth. One way is through intraoral photos. “Intraoral” means simply “inside the mouth”. We use intraoral photos, along with X-rays and other 3D technologies, to get a look at what’s going on inside the oral cavity.

To take intraoral photos, we use a tiny camera, on a device about the size of a small pen, to take digital photographs of your teeth and mouth. Because the device is compact and can reach into the interior of the mouth, it can capture images of areas that would otherwise be difficult to see with the naked eye.

Many patients don’t like the old-fashioned dental drill, and fortunately we have modern alternatives. One such alternative to a dental drill is “air abrasion.” Air abrasion is a modern dental technology that gently removes small cavities from the mouth without any drilling. It is also used to remove tooth staining and discoloration. In the hands of a skilled dentist (like ours at See Me Smile Dental), air abrasion can be used to improve older tooth restorations.

The air abrasion device emits a targeted stream of air and aluminum oxide particles. (Aluminum oxide is a white odorless crystalline powder that is safe to use.) This mixture of air and aluminum oxide is sprayed on the area that is being worked on – much like a mini sandblaster, but much more sophisticated.

Thus, air abrasion (like a sandblaster) removes the decay from the tooth, and a suction tube is used to remove the excess. (In order to keep your mouth free from any debris, a rubber dam or covering may be used to protect you.) Air abrasion is generally more comfortable than a traditional drill and does not cause any sense of pressure or vibration.

Dental lasers first started being used in the United States in the 1990s, and have become increasingly accepted as a powerful technological tool for the modern dentist. Different types of dental lasers may be used for different procedures, which operate at different wavelengths.

Dental lasers can be used for a variety of oral health challenges, including tooth decay, gum disease, canker sores, or lesions. They are also used to take biopsies (samples) of small pieces of oral tissue to check for cancer.

Dental lasers have many benefits. For example, in contrast with traditional dental drills, lasers are much less painful and may reduce or eliminate the need for anesthesia. Because they are more quiet and less threatening than a drill, dental lasers typically cause less anxiety in patients. They can also reduce bleeding and swelling when applied to the gums.

One popular use of dental lasers is in-office teeth whitening. In combination with a bleaching solution made with peroxide, the laser will be directed at the teeth to supercharge the tooth whitening process.

Finally, the dental laser offers a level of precision where the dentist can save more of the healthy part of the tooth when removing cavities.

If you need dental implants, your dentist may set up a dental surgical stent. Made from a model of your mouth, this device looks like a plastic straw (the stent is acrylic) and has pre-drilled holes. The surgical stent fits over the section of your mouth where the implants will be placed. This enables our dentist to correctly place your new dental implants.

A highly popular alternative to braces, Invisalign^Ⓡ clear aligners are custom made mouthpieces that fit over your teeth. They slowly create the right spacing between your teeth, but without the obvious appearance of traditional braces. Invisalign clear aligners can also be removed when you eat, making it easier to keep your teeth clean.