Dental Technology
Beaverton, OR
 The technology used in dentistry has come a long way in recent years. This is especially true in the area of implants. As implants have become more affordable, stronger, and easier to place, more and more of the patients we see at Summercrest Dental have asked for them instead of dentures. If you are coming in for dental implants, here are some of the technology advancements you may get to see up close.
Soft Tissue Lasers
While we used to use a scalpel to make all incisions, the advancement of lasers has allowed us to replace these traditional tools. A soft tissue laser can be used to make precise cuts in the soft tissue of the mouth. These cuts are typically smaller than we could make with a scalpel, and the laser seals the sides of the cut to reduce bleeding and healing time. They can be used for contouring and reshaping tissue, sterilization, and treating conditions such as periodontal disease in addition to their use in placing implants.
CAD-CAM Technology
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is known for its use in creating blueprints for buildings, but it and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) can both be used in dentistry as well. We can use CAD software to create a very detailed map of your mouth, then send that information to a CAM machine to create your implants. This ensures that the implants perfectly fit in your mouth.
Digital Panoramic X-ray
X-rays have been used in dentistry for decades, but thanks to technological upgrades, we now have a much more useful way of viewing your teeth and bones. A digital panoramic x-ray takes an image of your whole mouth at once, something traditional x-ray machines cannot do. This allows us to look at your jawbone to ensure it can support implants, find impacted teeth that need to be removed, and much more.
3D Cone Beam
Another type of panoramic device is the 3D cone beam. It also allows us to view a 3D image of your mouth, teeth, tissues, and bone. This device takes around 600 small images of your mouth, then assembles those images to create a highly detailed 3D model we can use to determine exactly where to place the implant posts.
Guided Dental Implant Tech
One of the biggest improvements in the area of implants has been guided dental implant technology. This technology uses a computer and scans of your mouth to help guide the procedure. With the help of a computer, we can make smaller incisions, place implants more precisely, and make the entire process faster and easier. This process has even made dental implants available to more patients, including some who at one time would not have been able to get implants.
Micro Dentistry
Micro dentistry makes use of microscopes to perform dentistry that is minimally invasive. The incisions we make are as small as possible and are highly precise. By using microscopes, we can see the implant site in greater detail, allowing us to make an incision that is the exact size necessary. With smaller incisions, the healing time is greatly reduced. Interested in learning more about dental implants or the technology we use in placing them? Contact Summercrest Dental today at (503) 649-7701. |
