Our Technology
Here’s a glimpse at just some of the technology you’ll find in our state-of-the-art holistic dental office in Montrose, Colorado:
Digital Imaging: X-rays & Panos
Dental x-rays are needed to see things that we couldn’t see otherwise – decay between teeth, for instance, or pathology in the bone. Conventional film x-rays require a lot of radiation, though – not exactly the healthiest thing around.
That’s why we use digital imaging when x-rays are required. (It also means we no longer have to keep harsh developing chemicals in the office!) Digital x-rays use up to 90% less radiation than standard x-rays.
To address what exposure there is, we can provide you with a homeopathic remedy to effectively counteract its effects.
Panoramic radiographs – or “panos,” for short – offer us more than just views of a few teeth at a time. These wide x-ray views show the whole mouth: upper and lower jaws, tooth roots and biting surfaces, bone, sinuses, and jaw joints.
As with digital x-rays, digital panos are faster, use less radiation, and can be manipulated to get more information. They also can be emailed to consulting doctors and insurance companies.
Intraoral Cameras
Intraoral cameras – toothbrush-sized wands with cameras at the tips – are great for letting us show you what we’re seeing when we examine your mouth. When you can see a close-up of one of your own teeth as it currently is, for instance, it becomes easier for you to understand what we’re talking about and our treatment recommendations for you.
We can also send copies of the pictures to your insurance company, or to specialists we refer you to, if necessary. We can even print out a copy for you, if you’d like!
“That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Spectra™ Early Cavity Detection
Spectra is a system that uses fluorescence technology to detect the presence of lesions and defects in the pits or grooves of a tooth. We just hold a wand over each tooth to take a reading. The extent of decay is shown on a computer screen with color and numerical readings.
Spectra eliminates the guesswork in detection of early decay, thus allowing intervention at a very early stage.
Lasers
Lasers have many roles in dentistry – from resculpting soft tissues to perfecting crown preparations; from treating lesions to releasing tongue- and lip-ties. In our office, we use both an Nd:YAG laser and a diode laser. The latter is especially good for periodontal care (gum disease treatment). Not only does it reduce bacteria in periodontal pockets; it promotes the body’s healing response.
Dental Ozone Generator
Ozone is an “energized” form of oxygen, created by passing a current through medical grade oxygen. While the oxygen you breathe consists of two-atom molecules, ozone has a third oxygen atom attached. That extra atom gives ozone its incredible disinfecting power.
Ozone can kill bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, and can even penetrate the sticky biofilms that pathogens live in. At the same time, it supports robust immune function and stimulates oxygen uptake by your cells.
Safe and effective, we use ozone in a wide array of procedures, from treating cavities, gum disease, and other infections, to root canal therapy and the healing of soft tissue lesions.
Tact-Air Mercury Vapor Ionizer
These units are a crucial part of SMART mercury removal. There’s one installed in each of the operatories where we safely remove amalgam fillings.
The Tact-Air is a high-voltage electrostatic precipitator, which condenses mercury vapor and pulls ultrafine amalgam particles out of the air and onto a charged plate. When a vapor ionizer isn’t used, mercury levels in the air can be extraordinarily high after amalgam removal – far above OSHA guidelines.
And that mercury hangs around for as long as 30 minutes after. It also raises overall levels of ambient mercury in the entire office.
Inhaling mercury vapor is one of the surest paths to toxication.
But with the Tact-Air in use? Jerome meter readings show that levels return to normal within just 2 minutes of the end of drilling. And knowing that, we can all breathe a little bit easier!
One-Day Crowns with PlanMeca E4D
Conventional crowns normally take two visits: one to prepare the tooth and place a temporary while models are sent to a dental lab, and one to place the lab-crafted final crown.
But with CAD/CAM (computer-assisted design and manufacture) technology like the E4D, we can place crowns in a single day. We just scan the prepared tooth with a laser-fitted wand, and the crown is designed on a computer. The digital design is then transferred wirelessly to the milling unit.
In a little over an hour, the crown is finished and ready to be cemented onto your tooth. No more temporary crowns. No more “trying not to chew on that side.” No second appointment.
The crowns are incredibly strong, resistant to fracture, and absolutely beautiful, looking like natural teeth. Our patients are as pleased with the results as we are!
Got any questions?
Please feel free to call our office today at 970-249-2077.
One of our friendly staff will be happy to help you.