Advanced Technology
Enjoy Modern-Day Dentistry
Our practice is committed to stay on the cutting-edge of dental technology! With the latest tools, we can provide our patients with safer, faster, and more comfortable care. When you come to see us, you can trust that you’re experiencing the very best that dentistry has to offer.
Oral Conscious Sedation
It’s estimated that about 36% of people in the United States are afraid of dental treatment to some degree. Some individuals are so anxious that they often become less likely to seek even routine dental care. Luckily, our team can help you stay calm and relaxed during your visit with the help of oral conscious sedation. By simply taking a pill, you can put your dental fears to rest and ensure that your next dental visit goes much more smoothly.
What is Oral Conscious Sedation?
Oral conscious sedation involves special medication that is taken before your procedure begins. The type of medication can differ depending on the situation. Valium, Ativan, and Halcion are popular brands, but you can talk to your dentist to find out the specific kind of medication that will be used in your case.
There are no needles or nasal masks to worry about with oral conscious sedation; all you need to do is swallow a pill. This can make it a great option for patients who are worried about their overall comfort.
How Does Oral Conscious Sedation Work?
The pill will be provided prior to your appointment. You’ll be told when to take the medication so that the effects have enough time to kick in before your treatment begins. Be sure to have a trusted friend or family member who can drive you to our office. (They’ll also need to take you home after your treatment since the sedative will require a few hours to fully wear off.)
You should already be in a state of advanced relaxation by the time your dentist is ready to begin the procedure. Note that you will still be awake, meaning you can answer our questions and follow any directions that we give you. It’s possible that you might doze off, but it will be easy for us to awaken you if that happens.
Once your treatment is complete, you will need to go home for the rest of the day. Be sure to carefully follow any aftercare instructions provided by our team.
Are You a Good Candidate for Oral Conscious Sedation?
There are actually many different situations where oral conscious sedation might be suggested. Here’s a brief look at potential signs that you may be a good oral conscious sedation candidate.
- You experience significant fear, anxiety, or nervousness when it comes to dental care of any kind.
- You have had negative experiences at the dentist’s office in the past.
- You are planning to have multiple dental treatments performed during a single appointment.
- You require a particularly long type of dental treatment.
- Your gag reflex is unusually sensitive and often interferes with your ability to have dental work performed.
- You tend to have a hard time sitting still.
- You find it difficult to hold your mouth open for a long time.
- Your body tends to be resistant to the effects of local anesthetic.
Intraoral Cameras
Ever wonder what your dentist sees whenever they look in your mouth? With an intraoral camera, we can show you! This small, camera-tipped wand can be comfortably maneuvered past the lips so that it captures high-resolution images of your teeth and gums. These images are instantly displayed on a large chairside monitor and will not only make it easier for our team to catch dental problems, but they’ll also help you have a much better understanding of your dental health. This means you can make more confident and well-informed treatment decision!
Digital X-Rays
We can now diagnose potentially hidden dental problems even faster with our new digital X-ray machine. Compared to traditional X-rays, digital X-rays only take a fraction of the time to create images. They also don’t require toxic chemicals to do so they expose our patients to 90% LESS radiation as well. This technology enable us to provide more efficient care for our patients while also giving them peace of mind.
Galileos® Cone Beam Imaging
With this machine, we can create a fully digital 3D image of not only your teeth, but your jaw and head as well! This level of detail will enable us to better diagnose more complicated dental issues and personalize a patient’s dental implant placement procedure. Thanks to these images, we’re able to find the best possible place to locate the implants and also avoid sensitive nerves so that you will have a swift and easy recovery.
CEREC® Digital Impressions
If you’ve ever had a bite impression taken using dental putty, then we bet it wasn’t exactly your favorite experience. Dental putty is messy, tastes bad, and even causes many patients to gag. This is why we’ve upgraded to doing digital impressions for crowns with our CEREC system.
With the CEREC digital scanner, we can create a digital 3D image of your teeth in a matter of minutes, and the only thing patients will have to do is place your teeth on a small, handheld device. You’ll be able to see the image being created literally right in front of you.
Not only is this process much more comfortable, but it also creates a more accurate model of the teeth. Using this impression, we can make sure your dental restorations will look great, feel even better, and last longer.