Technology
CEREC
We are pleased to offer our patients CEREC restoration services – a superior method of creating precisely-designed, color-matched and highly durable ceramic restoration right in our office. From simple fillings to full crowns to veneers, CEREC
delivers the results you need in a single appointment.
Using this CAD/CAM technology is not only more convenient but it is also healthier for you, providing extremely accurate restorations, made with durable materials that work with advanced dental adhesives/ This means that only the minimal amount of tooth preparation is required, leaving more of the healthy tooth structure intact.
VELscope
Kimberly Smiles has incorporated VELscope into our oral cancer screening standard of care. We find that using VELscope along with a standard oral cancer examination improves the ability to identify suspicious areas at their earliest stages. VELscope is similar to proven easy detection procedures for other cancers such as mammography, pap smear, and PSA.
VELscope is a simple and painless examination that gives the best chance to find any oral abnormalities at the earliest possible stage. Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effects of oral cancer and probably save your life.
Dexis
Kimberly Smiles uses Dexis digital radiography which allows us to take x-rays faster and with less radiation. With Dexis the sensor is merely moved from tooth to tooth, and because the unit is so sensitive, the amount of x-ray radiation is up to 80% less than with conventional x-rays. Your x-rays can be seen on a computer monitor just moments after exposure–there’s no waiting for chemical development. The lack of chemicals also makes digital x-rays safer for the environment.
Digital x-ray technology enables more efficient diagnosis and treatment because it provides a large, easy to see image, and allows us to make adjustments and see detail in the x-ray images. The digital x-rays become part of your dental record and can be easily emailed to specialists and insurance companies.
Intraoral Camera
An intraoral camera is a highly advanced innovation in dentistry that allows us to get a close-up view inside your mouth. The intraoral camera handpiece is approximately the size and shape of a dental mirror. It also has a built in light source giving us easy-to-see video and still pictures. These images become part of your dental record and can easily be printed out for you to take home or to send to a specialist or insurance company.
The intraoral camera allows you to be an active partner in your dental treatment by enabling you to see what we see inside your mouth. We can zoom in on one tooth or give you a video tour of your entire mouth. The images are displayed on a television, so that you’ll be able to see problems such as worn or broken fillings, cracked teeth, plaque deposits, cavities next to fillings, gum disease or excessive wear. And, after we’ve treated your dental condition, the intraoral camera lets you see up close, your beautiful, healthy teeth and gums.
Laser Dentistry
Dental lasers are a versatile tool for more comfortable and effective dental treatment. Dental lasers help us treat conditions in the mouth using light energy. The laser is very sensitive, penetrating to a specific depth in a particular kind of tissue we want to treat. The tissue absorbs the laser light, which agitates the molecules of the tissue, causing the tissue cells to gently break apart. This very precisely treats only the desired area, while leaving healthy gums, bone and tooth structure untouched. The doctors at Kimberly Smiles use an Odyssey soft tissue laser to reshape healthy gum tissues or remove diseased gums, decontaminate gum pockets that are infected with periodontal disease, and treat some sores in the mouth.
DIAGNOdent
DIAGNOdent is advanced laser technology that helps us find tooth decay. We use it along with visual examination, dental explorers and x-rays to help us locate decay that’s hidden inside the tooth and cannot be seen using these other methods.
The tip of the DIAGNOdent handpiece scans your teeth with harmless pulses of laser light. When the laser reaches decay under the surface of the tooth, the decay emits a fluorescent light. This light bounces back to the sensor, and is translated into an audible signal and digital readout. In general, the higher the number, the greater the amount of decay in the tooth.
With DIAGNOdent, we can more accurately and reliably find decay in its earliest stages, before it causes more widespread damage. This early detection enables us to provide treatment before your tooth is at risk for more extensive and expensive treatment.