Latest dental technologies

Air abrasion is a relatively new decay removal and tooth preparation tool that we often use in place of the traditional dental drill. This innovative system allows us to conserve more of the patient’s natural tooth structure and reduce the risk of enamel micro-fracturing. Because the equipment does not produce vibration or heat, patients require little or no anesthetic. Air abrasion is quieter, faster, and more comfortable than traditional drilling.

Laser Reflection Spots Imperfection

DIAGNOdent technology uses a laser diode to inspect teeth, comparing reflection wavelength against a healthy baseline wavelength to uncover decay. First, we take a benchmark reading by aiming the laser onto one of your healthy enamel tooth surfaces, shining the laser into all suspect areas. As it pulses into grooves, fissures and cracks, the laser reflects fluorescent light of a specific wavelength which is measured by receptors, converted to an acoustic signal, evaluated electronically to reveal a value between one and 100, and then displayed on a screen. Any variation from the healthy baseline value stimulates emission of a different wavelength and alerts us to a weakened area of decay. Not surprisingly, this technology quickly and precisely identifies even the tiniest bit of decay. This means shallower, simpler fillings, preserving more tooth structure, and providing a specific means of monitoring suspicious areas. No X-rays are required with DIAGNOdent, so patients do not have to worry about radiation exposure.

Glimpse Your Future

When you decide to correct or enhance your smile, it’s often difficult to determine ahead of time exactly what kind of results to expect. After all, a smile is a pretty personal thing, and changing your smile can feel like changing your identity. That’s where cosmetic digital imaging comes into play. Digital imaging is computer software that allows us to take your digital photograph and manipulate it to reflect the procedures you’re considering. The result is a photo that shows you what your smile would look like after treatment. Whether you’re considering teeth whitening, straightening, bonding, veneers, or a complete smile makeover, digital imaging technology lets you see into your future.

The process is quite simple. Once your dentist has completed your oral exam and discussed your smile goals, a treatment plan will be created. Various digital photos of your current smile will be taken and change factors will be keyed into the computer. The computer will immediately generate one or more graphic images that accurately demonstrate how the changes will affect the appearance of your mouth, as well as your overall facial appearance. It’s a fun process, and it can instigate excitement similar to when a sonogram reveals the gender of a new baby. Plus, you can take a photo of the new you home to share with family or friends.

Informed patients make wise decisions, and digital imaging allows you the opportunity to actually glimpse your future before committing to treatment. What more could you ask for?

What We See Is What We Get

We’ve invested in a new way of looking into your mouth—a procedure that’s fast, comfortable, and incredibly precise. Using digital radiography, we can clearly identify all external and internal anatomical structures and accurately diagnose your dental problems. Even more amazing, we can immediately translate that information into a large, clear, accurate image, projected onto a monitor that patient and doctor can study together in the operatory. You won’t even have to leave your chair. Digital radiography’s technology improves and simplifies the way we care for our patients’ teeth, resulting in better dental evaluations and treatment decisions. As the most important member of your dental team, you need to understand the condition of your mouth, as well as our recommendations for treatment. Digital radiographs help us help you.

Reduced Radiation, Radical Results

Traditionally, dentists used X-rays to see what the naked eye could not; X-rays were developed in a darkroom with hazardous chemicals, and then viewed on a special light board. The developed X-rays had to be stored, which required large filing systems. By far, the worst part of traditional X-rays was the radiation exposure to patients. Digital radiography has completely transformed this process.

Now, when you come into the office for X-rays, a tiny sensor is placed in your mouth to emit a small amount of radiation – up to 90-percent less than traditional X-rays required. This creates a detailed image of your internal oral structures that is immediately viewable on a chairside monitor, carrying with it all the conveniences of other digitized images. We can rotate and magnify it, adjust it for contrast, and even color-code it for educational purposes. The digital images store easily and efficiently in our computer files, safe and sound. For insurance purposes, referrals, or patient education, digital X-rays can be easily, inexpensively, and accurately reproduced indefinitely.

Digital X-rays offer unparalleled benefits over traditional radiographs: they’re convenient, safe for the environment, provide a great opportunity for patient education, can be transferred and copied accurately, and best of all, they’re safer for our patients. If you have questions about digital X–rays, call us. We’ll do all we can to help.

People seldom have a clear idea of the actual status of their dental health. Even with lights and mirrors, a patient can’t see what the dentist can – that is, until now.

We use intraoral cameras, so when you visit the dentist, you can sit comfortably back in the chair and get ready for the show. The dentist or hygienist will insert a pen-sized, camera-tipped wand into your mouth. Covered with a disposable plastic sheath for contamination prevention, the wand simply takes a video of the inside of your mouth and transmits the images via cable to a computing unit. The computing unit enlarges the full-color images and sends them to a TV screen that you can comfortably view from the dental chair. Aha! There it is – your mouth on the screen. The dentist can point out problem areas and explain his recommendations for treatment, so you’ll become an informed partner in your dental care instead of a clueless bystander.

Seeing your dental problems may seem overwhelming at first, but consider the experience the first step toward a healthier, fresher smile. The camera may reveal the early stages of potentially serious problems, allowing you the opportunity to prevent small problems before they escalate. This is especially helpful with gum disease and conditions that cause damage without causing pain. The camera’s honest survey can also show you how your regular home hygiene routine is paying off. The dental hygienist or dentist can recommend ways to improve your homecare based on their findings.

If you want to learn more about the technologies that enhance patient care in our office, call our dental office in Montreal today. We’re always happy to explain the new innovations in dentistry and how they can improve your dental experience.

Finding Decay the Easy Way

LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, a complicated string of words that basically means a single wavelength beam of highly concentrated light energy.

Lasers have transformed medical surgery by offering minimally-invasive alternatives to traditional scalpel incisions and sutured closures. The laser’s intense, narrow wavelength has precise, predictable, and powerful reactions when it contacts hard or soft tissues of the body. Laser light is extremely efficient, producing very little heat as it acts on its target. This makes it ideal for oral surgery, since it seldom affects tissues other than those it targets. The laser provides precise control over the depth and extent of cutting, while simultaneously minimizing bleeding and sterilizing the treatment area.

You go to the dentist because of a toothache, or maybe for your bi-annual checkup, and you get the bad news: you need a crown. You’ll have to schedule two appointments – one for preparation and placement of a temporary crown, and one for placement of the permanent crown. Do you have that kind of time to spare? Between the appointments, your temporary crown could crack or fall out, and then you’d have to make yet another trip to the dentist. A crown is important, though, so you shouldn’t delay treatment. A crown can salvage a tooth that may otherwise have to be removed and replaced with a prosthetic.

You go to the dentist because of a toothache, or maybe for your bi-annual checkup, and you get the bad news: you need a crown. You’ll have to schedule two appointments – one for preparation and placement of a temporary crown, and one for placement of the permanent crown. Do you have that kind of time to spare? Between the appointments, your temporary crown could crack or fall out, and then you’d have to make yet another trip to the dentist. A crown is important, though, so you shouldn’t delay treatment. A crown can salvage a tooth that may otherwise have to be removed and replaced with a prosthetic.

We Feel Your Pain

We understand the inconvenience patients face with a traditional crown, and because your time is as valuable as your smile, we now use a revolutionary tool that mills a permanent crown in about an hour: CEREC.

How CEREC Works

After taking a 3D image of your tooth, our CEREC machine can mill a strong, beautiful restoration in about an hour. We’ll permanently place the crown during your single visit, and you’ll leave our office with a full, healthy smile.

Tried and True Technology

Millions of patients worldwide have experienced the convenience of CEREC crowns. CEREC Blocs, the material from which the crowns are milled, are backed with 20 years of research, so you can rest assured they offer a durable restoration that you can trust. CEREC can also mill inlays, onlays, and veneers for your convenience. Ask us about CEREC crowns today so you can spend less time in the dentist’s chair and more time sharing your smile.

The VELscope Vx is a hand-held device that provides dentists and hygienists with an easy-to-integrate adjunctive mucosal examination system for the early detection of a wide variety of oral diseases, including pre-cancer and cancer. Used in conjunction with the conventional intra-oral and extra-oral head and neck exam, the VELscope Vx facilitates the discovery of mucosal abnormalities before they become visible under ordinary light. The VELscope Vx is the only non-invasive adjunctive device clinically proven to help discover occult oral disease.

Carivu

CariVu is a compact, portable caries detection device that uses patented transillumination technology to support the identification of occlusal, interproximal and recurrent carious lesions and cracks.

By hugging the tooth and bathing it in safe, near-infrared light, CariVu’s transillumination technology makes the enamel appear transparent while porous lesions trap and absorb the light. This unique caries detector allows the clinician to see through the tooth exposing its structure and the actual structure of any carious lesions with very high accuracy.

Similar in appearance, CariVu images read like familiar X- ray images — lesions will appear as dark areas. This provides an edge over fluorescent imaging technologies in that there is no need to clean the tooth of bacteria, calibrate the device or become versed in the meaning of multiple color codes or numeric indicators.

Digital impressions

Dental digital impression systems are growing in popularity, and it is easy to see why. These high tech systems simplify the impression process, increase accuracy, decrease procedure time and enable digital integration with dental laboratories. Digital impressions eliminate the technique sensitivity and patient discomfort of using impression materials, and the 3D digital models they createare highly accurate and detailed. Captured using safe, non-invasive imaging technologies, digital impressions are available for a range of restorative and orthodontic dental situations. The scans are ready almost instantly and can be sent directly to a dental lab or to a chairside CAD/CAM system without the need to pour a model or pay for shipping. If you are not already using a digital impression system now is a great time to find one that fits your dental practice so you can increase patient comfort, decrease clinical errors and reduce the time it takes to complete a case.

Whether you’re learning about implants or good oral hygiene, CAESY’s interactive programming and 3D animation help make the topic easier to grasp and the information more memorable. The CAESY patient education system also lets you digest the information at your own pace – right in the comfort of our well-appointed clinic.

We are very proud of our state-of-the-art sterilization centre and rigid sterilization and infection control protocols.

• All instruments are housed in cassettes which eliminates the risk of any contamination or injury during transfer.
• Instruments are cleaned to remove all debris using vigorous hot water and an enzymatic cleaning solution. Instrument cassettes are then wrapped with special autoclave paper to ensure that they remain completely sterile after leaving the autoclave until they are in use.
• Wrapped instruments are sterilized in our hospital-grade autoclaves using several cycles of very hot steam.
• All sterilizers are monitored at every cycle with mechanical, chemical and biological indicators. These ensure that the proper conditions of temperature and time are met with every load.
• Filtered and distilled water in all units to ensure high quality contaminant-free water.
• All surfaces in the operatory are cleaned prior to every patient with a hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant.
• Personal and surface barriers are used throughout the office to ensure proper infection control.