Have you ever seen a film at an IMAX movie theatre? The experience is breathtaking. With IMAX, you’re not just watching a film – you become part of it. And, once you’ve experienced the difference, you’ll never want to see a movie the “old way” again. At Blue Water Dental, we’ve invested in a 3-D imaging machine that makes regular X-rays seem like child’s play and takes you into the enhanced realm of modern dentistry.
It really is like the IMAX for your mouth!
Unlike traditional X-rays, our revolutionary 3-D imaging machine rotates 360°, snapping away nearly 600 digital images that capture not only your teeth and all root canals, but your jaw and skull as well – and best yet, it’s all in full color.
3-D imaging is often used prior to:
- Jaw Reconstructive Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Dental Implant Surgery
- Root Canals
- Extractions
It can also be used to diagnose:
- Lesions
- Nose and Sinus Issues
- Sleep Apnea
- Fractures
- TMJ Issues
- Suspect Pathology
- Undiagnosed Pain
If you are planning any of the above procedures, we recommend using 3-D imaging to obtain the most comprehensive view possible of your mouth. Not every dentist can provide this level of thorough dental care, and we are pleased to offer this improved technology to you.
When you break a tooth or need to replace a failing crown, it usually means sensitive temporaries, at least two shots and at least two visits to mark on your calendar. Who has the time?
Now, with Blue Water Dental and CEREC technology, your tooth can be repaired in just one visit! Our doctor can prepare the tooth, digitally design, and mill your new crown while you relax in the comfort of our office. We’ll place the crown, make sure you’re comfortable – and you’ll be on your way! It’s that simple!
Is your fear of the dentist keeping you from making the regular appointments necessary for your healthy teeth and gums? If so, you’ll be delighted to find out there are now ways we can make your visit pain free, anxiety free, and completely comfortable. The secret is what is called “conscious sedation.”
Conscious sedation is achieved using oral medication prior to a procedure that places you in a state where commands by the dental team can be acted upon, but no memory of the event – or any discomfort experienced during it – are recalled. It is used in a variety of medical and dental procedures, and is a safe and effective way to calm your nerves while visiting the dentist.
Using conscious sedation can be a great way for you to maintain regular care appointments if you’re a reluctant visitor, and it can make you feel all the more comfortable if you have sensitive teeth, an enhanced gag reflex, a long appointment scheduled, or general anxiety prior to and during appointments.
So, ask us about conscious sedation at your next visit, we think you’ll be impressed with the results. Or, if you’ve been putting off a visit out of fear, give us a call to find out how conscious sedation can help you feel more comfortable while in our office. We’ll be happy to chat with you and to answer any questions you may have.
Digital imaging, or digital radiography, is a valuable diagnostic tool frequently used in dentistry, as well as other disciplines. It is an innovative technique that uses a computer to efficiently manipulate and store X-ray images. Using this technology provides immediate results, readily available for sharing and discussion with patients and with other medical or dental professionals.
Uses Of Digital Imaging
Since X-rays are always a part of comprehensive preventative and curative dental treatment, digital imaging is especially helpful in this field. As an objective means of delivering visual information, digital imaging assists in:
- Detecting cavities
- Implementing cosmetic treatments such as tooth whitening
- Evaluating results of treatments for plaque and gingivitis
- Measuring for endodontic procedures
- Measuring for surgical implantations
Digital imaging is also important and effective in tracking the progress of orthodontic treatment.
Benefits Of Digital Imaging
X-rays have long been considered an important part of dental care. The new technology that enables dentists to use digital X-rays has several advantages over traditional X-rays. These include:
- Immediate diagnostic results
- Reduced radiation exposure
- Electronic storage of data
- High quality image production
While exposure to dental X-rays has generally been considered safe, digital X-rays reduce the patient’s radiation exposure by more than 50 percent.
The accelerated speed of the digital process, in which the need for a darkroom and chemical processing is unnecessary, is especially important during surgical procedures when time is of the essence. When digital X-rays are taken, usable images are available within seconds, rather than minutes.
As we’re sure you’re aware, our practice is always investing in ways to make your dental care safer, faster, and more comfortable. With that in mind, we’ve invested in a digital radiography machine to add to the safety and efficiency of your care.
LESS RADIATION EXPOSURE
Digital X-ray sensors require a much shorter exposure time than conventional film X-rays and produce less scatter. This drastically reduces the dose of radiation you are exposed to over the years.
FASTER X-RAYS
Without having to reload and develop film, digital sensors allow the doctor to see scan results on the computer immediately, so we can have you in and out faster than ever!
SHARPER IMAGES
Digital radiography produces a much better resolution image that can be further enhanced on the computer. This gives us superior diagnostic capabilities and a way to store each X-ray in your file for future reference.
GOING GREEN
Using digital imaging has allowed us to eliminate the use of film processing chemicals in our office.
Our Dental camera can magnify the surface of your teeth and gums up to 25 times and let you see the inside your mouth in vivid detail. Using this camera, we can easily spot tooth defects and problems with your gums that might otherwise be a real challenge to see – even with the brightest overhead light.
This pen-sized camera is called an “intraoral” camera. This awesome little gizmo allows us to peer into the darkest recesses of your mouth to see things we just can’t see with the naked eye – or an X-ray, for that matter. Cracked and loose fillings “pop” out as if they’re right in front of your eyes, cavities can be seen up-close, hairline fractures become readily apparent, and your gums shine like never before … everything is magnified so we can catch problems early before they become expensive and painful.
Best of all, our camera makes your visits faster and can allow you, for the first time, to see exactly what the doctor is talking about.
Introduced in 2007, it is a newfound technology for dental practitioners. Its evolution has marked concise precision in diagnosis, dental practice, and surgery. It is widely known for its safety and accuracy. iTero Scanning involves the digital capture of teeth and gum structure with the aid of the latest technology. iTero Scanner is in fact a small hand-held device, which can be used easily to scan the whole mouth and is being effectively used by many dental surgeons, and orthodontists around the world. It is quite timesaving as it takes only about 10-15 minutes to get the full scan. This scanning process is now available in 3-Dimensional Technology (3D) and 5-Dimensional Technology (5D). The latter was just approved last year by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It effectively determines the best possible course for dental treatment of the patients and makes it easier for dental physicians to diagnose correctly and offer a concrete consultation. iTero scanners are a structure with a wand that the dentist uses to scan the entire region of the patient’s mouth. The newer ones are more sophisticated, making it easier for the patient to not gag or feel a choking sensation. These scanners ensure that the scanned images are captured more quickly, and results are produced more accurately. It eventually saves time for both the patient and the doctor, along with providing immaculate services. Since this is radiation-free, it is also safe for pregnant women.
Did you ever think there would come a time when you could go to the dentist and experience no pain? That time is now at Blue Water Dental. Our secret? Dental lasers.
You may not know this, but dental lasers have been around for decades, and have been used to treat cavities since the Food and Drug Administration approved them in 1997. Still, not everyone is aware of the technique, because not all dentists are trained in the use of lasers for oral care. At our office, we’re proud to continually stand at the forefront of modern dentistry, and we believe our patients benefit from this desire to be at the top of our profession as well.
No shots. No drills. No pain.
Laser dentistry harnesses the power of light to do the work that used to require a drill. Lasers are surgically precise, can reduce (or eliminate) bleeding, and result in shorter healing times. They are also supreme bacteria-killers, which is especially critical in repairing cavities and doing some of the prep work involved with root canals we perform.
Because a laser doesn’t produce excessive heat and vibration, and completely lacks the loud whir of the drill, most patients don’t even need anesthesia when undergoing treatment. Pain at the dentist becomes a story you “used to tell.”
We’re proud to offer advanced laser dentistry at Blue Water Dental and we’re pleased to be your “no-pain” dental team. If you want to learn more about laser dentistry, make sure to ask us at your next dental visit.
At Blue Water Dental we’ve invested in top-of-the-line products to provide a safe and clean environment for our patients. You can rest assured that the instruments we use for your procedure are disinfected and sterilized with the best technology available. Your safety and health is our most important concern. Some of the equipment we utilize includes:
Hydrim
Instrument washers are designed, tested, and FDA-approved as medical instrument cleaners to operate many cycles per day to facilitate efficient reprocessing of a practice’s instruments.
Autoclave
Autoclaves are also known as steam sterilizers and are typically used for healthcare or industrial applications. An autoclave is a machine that uses steam under pressure to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores on items that are placed inside a pressure vessel.
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic energy creates billions of minute vacuum bubbles in an ultrasonic cleaning bath that implode with tremendous force when they contact dental instruments. The bubbles are created by generator-powered transducers bonded to the bottom of the cleaning tank
Vista Clear Filtration System
VistaClear provides dental practices with centrally installed water filtration, backflow prevention and a method for convenient operatory cleaning—eliminating the need for dental bottles altogether! This patented system saves practices time and money while protecting dental equipment and delivers the cleanest filtered water to our patients.
Halo UV Air Filtration System
The REME HALO is an in-duct air purifier that uses RGF’s Reflective Electro Magnetic Energy technology. It is installed in the supply or discharge side plenum of the HVAC system. The system is proven 99% effective for: Killing airborne mold spores, bacteria, and viruses. Destroying viruses on surfaces. Reducing germs released by sneezing.
Piezo
Piezo electric ultrasonic scalers offer unique benefits over other kinds of scalers. They operate at a slightly higher frequency, require less water to control heat and vibrate less which achieves optimal patient comfort when removing plaque, calculus and more.
