TECHNOLOGY 

At Grove Avenue Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we are committed to using state-of-the-art technology in order to provide the best possible care for our patients.

Read on to learn more about the different types of advanced technology utilized by our doctors.

For patients who do not look forward to needles, drilling, or numbness, Laser Dentistry may be the right choice. Laser dentistry is one of dentistry’s latest advances. The Laser delivers energy in the form of light. Depending on the intended result, this energy travels at different wavelengths and is absorbed by a “target.” In dentistry, these targets can be enamel, decay, gum tissue, or whitening enhancers. Each one absorbs a different wavelength of light while reflecting others. Laser dentistry can be used for both tooth and soft tissue related procedures. Often times, no local anesthesia is required. Unlike the dental drill, with laser dentistry there is no heat or vibration, making the procedure quite comfortable for most patients. For soft tissue (surgical) procedures it eliminates the need for suturing and healing is much faster. Lasers can be used to diagnose cavities. They can find hidden decay in teeth in early stages, and in some cases the decay can be reversed through hygiene and fluoride treatment and may never need filling. Dental lasers have been shown to be safe and effective for treating both children and adults.

Periodontal or gum disease happens when bacteria gets below the gum line and the attachment between the gum and tooth is lost. Three out of four Americans have some form of periodontal disease and only 3 out of 100 will ever get treated before its too late. Gum disease is a silent, chronic, painless and communicable bacterial infection that often goes undetected or ignored until severe gum and bone destruction is unbearable and no longer able to be ignored. Left untreated, gum disease can cause tooth loss and traditional treatment can hurt. The latest conservative gum therapy uses a laser. The laser gently disinfects and evaporates diseased tissues from around the tooth and inside the gum pocket. This treatment interrupts the bacterial destruction of the tissues and bone giving the gum pocket a chance to heal. Systematic repeated visits, generally 2-8, allow the gum pocket to be disease-free and sometimes allow tissues to reattach to the pocket back to a normal or near-normal depth. This new laser therapy is gentle, less painful, and has a quick recovery. While surgery may still be indicated for severely advanced periodontal cases, laser therapy is a much more conservative, effective and comfortable option for beginning to moderate periodontal cases.

Many patients, especially younger patients, are very familiar with the latest technology and are more comfortable with the high tech practice. Computers and TV screens are their primary method of information processing. Our doctors utilize intraoral camera technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An intraoral camera is a very small camera, in some cases just a few millimeters long. An intraoral camera allows our practice to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth and gums, in order for us to accurately make a diagnosis. With clear, defined, enlarged images, you see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations. This can mean faster diagnosis with less chair-time for you! Intraoral cameras also enable our practice to save your images in our office computer to provide a permanent record of treatments. These treatments can be printed as for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.

When you seek care at our office, you are assured that our staff utilizes the latest in technology to enhance the quality and fit for your dental care. Our practice uses high power microscopes to enhance the precision of patient care. Dentistry is micro-surgery. Using a similar microscope that an ophthalmologist uses enables us to create dental restorations with incredibility precise fit and finish. You just can’t fulfill that level of care with the naked eye. In addition to allowing precise, close up work, the microscope directs a beam of light directly on the teeth, minimizing glare to you. Many dentists use air-driven “hand-pieces” (the dental term for “drills”). While acceptable for many procedures, these “whiney sounding” air powered hand pieces all have a degree of non-concentricity; they do not rotate perfectly smoothly. For the most precise aspects of restorative procedures, we use electric hand-pieces. This results in extraordinarily precise interfaces between your tooth and your new restoration (crown, veneer, orfilling). This will bring more comfort to you as well. With a more precise tool, there is less vibration and less noise!

Our doctors choose carefully which and when radiographs are taken. There are many guidelines that we follow. Radiographs allow us to see everything we cannot see with our own eyes. Radiographs enable us to detect cavities in between your teeth, determine bone level, and health of bone. We can also examine the roots and nerves of teeth, diagnose lesions such as cysts or tumors, as well as assess damage when trauma occurs. Dental radiographs are invaluable aids in diagnosing, treating, and maintaining dental health. Exposure time for dental radiographs is extremely minimal. Our doctors utilize Digital Imaging Technologies within the office. With digital imaging, exposure time is about 50 percent less when compared to traditional radiographs. Digital imaging can also help us retrieve valuable diagnostic information. We may be able to see cavities better. The advantages of digital imaging enables us to not only store patient images, but also enables us to quickly transfer them to appropriate specialists or insurance companies. Digital X-Rays: Digital X-rays offer more precision since we view the image on a computer monitor, instead of holding up a 35mm film up to the light. Digital X-rays result in 1/6th the radiation exposure to you.

Thanks to an amazing technique employed by Grove Avenue Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, near-perfect tooth restoration is not only possible — it can be done in just one visit! It’s called “CEREC.” What is “CEREC?” “CEREC” stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. Chairside means our dentists can provide your treatment in just one visit. While you sit comfortably, an image of your tooth is scanned into a computer, specially designed for this purpose. Using advanced digital technology, your crown is designed to your tooth’s precise specifications. Economical means just that! CEREC crowns are your most affordable way to an amazing smile. Restoration means making your tooth the way it was before. We’re not talking about “false” or “faux” here — crowning your tooth brings it back to nearly its original state. Esthetic means…simply beautiful! Ceramics refers to the material used in the CEREC system. Not only are ceramics more attractive than other materials (such as metal); they are also extremely strong, making them the material of choice for attractive, long-lasting results. Learn more about CEREC.