Full Service
Advanced Dental Technology in Santa Maria
Using the most advanced dental technology possible and staying up-to-date on the latest treatment techniques are just as important. Our practice is dedicated to providing you with the safest and most convenient treatment options available to improve care and comfort.
Digital X-rays
We utilize advanced digital x-ray technology in our office. This technology allows us to help patients better understand their dental health, teach them how to care of their smiles at home and give them the confidence to make the best treatment choices.
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Digital x-rays provide several advanced imaging options designed to save time, provide clearer dental photos, and expose patients to less radiation than traditional x-ray technology.
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We are focused on making your dental experience as comfortable as possible. At your next appointment, we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about our digital x-ray technology.
Digital CT Imaging​
Digital Computed Tomography or CT imaging systems allows your doctor to provide quick, comfortable, and effective dental imaging for the most precise dental health diagnosis possible. The main difference between a CT scan and a standard x-ray is that a CT scan gives us a 3D image. This means we can look around and inside the entire tooth, jawbone, and even your airway! These images are important in helping us diagnose various dental conditions and aid in treatment planning. Digital technology provides 3D data for:
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Dental Implants
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Wisdom Teeth Extractions
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Impactions
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TMJ Treatment
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Airway Assessments & Sleep Apnea
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Full Facial 3D Images
You can take advantage of a more complete dental treatment with digital CT imaging. Special features for patients include:
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One 20-second scan that provides enough data for a complete diagnosis
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A safer diagnosis with less radiation than traditional CT scanners
Our office is pleased to offer digital CT imaging for patients who receive dental treatment. Come and see for yourself what it's like to receive a more advanced, patient-friendly dental experience.
VELscope
The VELscope is the most powerful tool available for assisting in the discovery of oral abnormalities. The VELscope’s distinctive blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissues of the mouth to naturally fluoresce. Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinctive patterns — patterns that are visibly disrupted by trauma or disease. Using the VELscope, a wide variety of oral abnormalities can be discovered often before they’re visible to the unassisted eye. Discovering soft tissue abnormalities is particularly important in the fight against oral cancer. Because the VELscope assists in early detection, cancer can be caught before it has time to spread, potentially saving lives through less invasive, more effective treatment.
Intraoral Camera
Dental x-rays are an essential diagnostic tool for dentists. While x-rays provide valuable information, they don’t give a complete view of everything that is going on inside your mouth. The use of an intraoral camera adds another layer of knowledge by showing the condition of the outer enamel and the soft tissues of the tongue, mouth and gums. We can see every aspect of your teeth and mouth with incredible detail, uncovering cracked teeth, plaque deposits, cavities next to fillings, and excessive wear. When we can discover oral problems early on, your treatment is much less invasive and much more cost effective.
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This is a great tool to help you become more informed about your dental health, as it gives you a clear understanding of your teeth’s condition, and it allows you to make a more informed decision regarding your treatment options.
Cerec Crowns
The process of obtaining crowns is generally known to be an extensive one. People will spend an average of around two to three weeks to receive a dental crown; which can make the experience a dreadful one for patients. With the newly developed Computer Aided-Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, our dental office now has the capability to expedite the process of creating crowns for our patients.
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This new field of dentistry has provided dentists with one of the greatest achievements in recent history: the CEREC Crown. It has allowed dentists to achieve optimal function and esthetics in order to create natural teeth for their patients. Many people wonder, what's so great about this dental restoration method? Well, it can all be achieved in a single appointment. Learn More
iTero Scanner
An iTero scanner is a special high-tech device used to greater a 3D model of your teeth without any discomfort. The best way to think of this device is as an upgraded x-ray that captures every angle and nuance of your teeth to create a highly accurate impression that can be used in further orthodontic work. iTero is currently a rising star among orthodontists for its ability to prioritize patient comfort, precision, and speed all at the same time.
Using iTero is similar to getting x-rays of your teeth, except that the scanner uses a small hand-held device or a wand that can capture every nook and cranny of your both. iTero is a type of intraoral scanner that can be used to render 3D images of the inside of your mouth, as well as how your teeth are rooted in your jaws, and any alignment dysfunctions you may have.
The use of the scanner takes only a few minutes. For patients, the use of the scanner is not unlike what you might experience during a dental cleaning – all patients have to do is open their mouths, and the scanner does the rest of the work. After the scan is complete, the data is sent over to a lab that will create physical 3D models of your teeth, and those models are then used to create your aligner
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