Advanced Technology
Promoting great oral health for a brilliant smile.
Precision Dentistry
When you seek care at our office, you can be assured that Dr. Perkins and his staff use the latest technology to enhance the quality and fit of your dental care.
Our practice uses high-power microscopes to enhance the precision of patient care.
Dentistry is micro-surgery. Using a microscope that is similar to the one an ophthalmologist uses enables us to create dental restorations with an incredibly precise fit and finish. You just can’t fulfill that level of care with the naked eye.
In addition to allowing precise, close-up work, the microscope directs a beam of light directly on the teeth, minimizing glare for you.
Digital Imaging
Dr. Perkins carefully chooses which radiographs to take and when. There are many guidelines that we follow. Radiographs allow us to see everything we cannot see with our own eyes. Radiographs enable us to detect cavities between your teeth, determine bone level, and analyze the health of your bone. We can also examine the roots and nerves of the teeth, diagnose lesions such as cysts or tumors, and assess damage from trauma.
Dental radiographs are invaluable aids in diagnosing, treating, and maintaining dental health. Exposure time for dental radiographs is extremely minimal. We use digital imaging technologies in the office. With digital imaging, exposure time is about 50 percent shorter than with traditional radiographs. Digital imaging can also help us retrieve valuable diagnostic information. We may be able to see cavities better.
Digital imaging allows us to store patient images and transfer them quickly and easily to specialists or insurance companies.
Digital X-Rays
Digital X-rays offer greater precision since we view the image on a computer monitor instead of holding up 35mm film to the light. Digital X-rays result in 1/6th the radiation exposure to you.
Laser Dentistry
For patients who do not look forward to needles, drilling, or numbness, Laser Dentistry may be the right choice.
Laser dentistry is one of dentistry’s latest advances. The laser delivers energy in the form of light. Depending on the intended result, this energy travels at different wavelengths and is absorbed by a “target.” In dentistry, these targets can be enamel, decay, gum tissue, or whitening enhancers. Each one absorbs a different wavelength of light while reflecting others. Oftentimes, no local anesthesia is required. Unlike a dental drill, laser dentistry produces no heat or vibration, making the procedure quite comfortable for most patients. For soft-tissue (surgical) procedures, it eliminates the need for suturing and results in much faster healing.
Lasers can be used to diagnose cavities. They can detect hidden decay in teeth at an early stage, and in some cases, the decay can be reversed through oral hygiene and fluoride treatment and may never need a filling.
Areas of dental care that benefit from laser technology:
- Cavity diagnosis and removal
- Curing, or hardening, bonding materials
- Whitening teeth
- Periodontal, or gum-related, care
- Pediatric procedures
- Aphthous Ulcer treatment (canker sore)
- Frenectomy (tongue-tie release) without anesthesia or sutures
- Root canals and apicoectomies
- Crown lengthening, gingivectomy, and other gum corrections
Dental lasers have been shown to be safe and effective for treating both children and adults.
Intraoral Camera
Many patients, especially younger ones, are very familiar with the latest technology and comfortable with high-tech practices. Computers and TV screens are their primary method of information processing.
Gentle Dental utilizes intraoral camera technology to enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An Intraoral Camera is a very small camera – in some cases, just a few millimeters long. An Intraoral Camera allows our practice to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth, and gums so we can make an accurate diagnosis. With clear, high-definition images, you can see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations. This can mean a faster diagnosis with less chair time for you!
Intraoral cameras also enable our practice to save your images on our office computer, providing a permanent record of treatments. These images can be printed for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.