Merion Village Dental Blog

One of our central priorities is staying on the leading edge of dental technology. Advances in dental equipment and techniques have been achieved at an amazing pace in just the past decade.

Staying current on these advances means we can provide the best care possible, in a comfortable and effective way. This not only gets you the treatment you need, but you also gain an understanding of your overall oral health that was not before possible.

Here are just a few of the advanced equipment we use regularly, and how they can improve both your treatment and experience.

Digital X-Rays

We use a process called digital radiography for our imaging work. More effective and efficient than traditional film x-rays, digital radiography uses significantly less radiation to operate.

Digital radiography also takes less time to complete, and the high-resolution images can be adjusted on the computer screen to make early decay more visible. And since there is no film processing anymore, no chemical waste is created.

Biolasing

Drilling can now be a thing of the past, with the advent of the Biolase laser. Through water and laser technology, this method reduces recovery times and is less invasive.

With laser removal, we can gently treat gum tissue or remove only the damaged portion of a tooth. With the precision the laser provides, we also offer alternative treatments to decay removal like gingivital recountouring and periodontal treatments.

Intraoral Cameras

Intraoral cameras allow us to easily see what is going on in your mouth. Allowing you to see what we see helps you understand what’s going on with your oral health, and makes it easier to tell us what’s wrong. This not only has an amazing impact on communication between dentist and patient, but it also improves treatment as well.

A mini-camera on the end of a small wand, our intraoral cameras provide full-color HD images you can see in the treatment room. We can use these to show you cavities and signs of decay, infection areas, lesions or pre-cancerous tissue, and other signs of wear and recession.

With the images as a baseline for both of us, we can identify concern areas and come up with best treatment for your mouth going forward.

Detecting Cavities Before they Appear

Another powerful new tool we utilize is a Diagnodent laser. This is a combination of laser and sonar technology that can detect tooth decay in its infancy, by recording the density of your teeth across your entire mouth.

The density of tooth tissue can show where future problems may occur, giving us the chance to apply sealants and smaller fillings to prevent further decay. This system is a part of our routine dental cleanings, and is completely painless.

Crown Restoration

Once a headache that could stretch multiple weeks, a tooth restoration can now be done in a single visit. Our office uses the milling system CEREC to capture a virtual impression of your teeth and create a custom restoration in the same visit.

This system eliminates the need for messy impression trays, and also provides much more precision. We are able to create dental crowns and onlays in the same day as your appointment, along with natural shade-matching to make the replacement even less noticeable.

Technology is constantly progressing, and we can’t wait to see what new advances will be available in coming years. In the meantime, the latest tools and systems will be making your visit here effective and convenient.