Metal-free braces that can effectively straighten
crowded and malpositioned teeth.

Early Oral Cancer screening

It is a little known fact, but 5 % of all cancers are oral. 66% of those are fatal within 5 years. Overlooked in a patient's mouth, displastic cells take 3,5-4 years to grow past the basal membrane and become vascularized: an innocent looking oral discoloration becomes a full blown cancer. Dentists are in a unique position to prevent this process from continuing and reaching tragic consequences. We can save lives or prevent life-crippling disfigurements. Oral cancer tests must be performed annually on patients beginning at the age of 14.
We, as dentists, can make an enormous difference in our patients' lives by recognizing early displastic changes or malignancies. Technological advancements of the past decade allow us to recognize oral displasia early and predictably, which takes human error out of the equation. These diagnostic devices are based on tissue reflectance, autofluorescence, or a combination of the two. At SmileDelightDentslSolutions we perform an Oral Cancer Test routinely as part of a recall appointment at no additional cost to patients. The aforementioned devices immeasurably help us in visualizing abnormalities that are potentially malignant. We consider allowing more time and effort to performing this test our moral, ethical and legal obligation.

Early Caries Detection

In the past few years, new technologies emerged that help dentists diagnose early stages of caries. These technologies include transillumination, laser fluorescence and imaging devices. They provide higher sensitivity and specificity than dental explorers and radiographs. Day in and day out, dentists are faced with the challenge of distinguishing between caries-free stains and active caries. Those who are more aggressive in their approach opt to treat suspicious lesions, often drilling and filling what should have been left alone, polished off or whitened. Those who are more conservative may overlook and leave to be "watched" small active caries cavities that in time can lead to severe tooth destruction and a need for more traumatic and expensive treatments like root canals, crowns or extractions.
The challenge for dentists these days is consistency and predictability. Usually, dentists diagnose decay with only visual inspection, a dental explorer and x-rays.
A growing frustration for patients is that they can visit four different dentists and leave with four different opinions and treatment options. Incorporating new technologies for caries diagnosis and cavity detection enormously improves any practitioner's ability to offer his or her patients a diagnostic accuracy. Now dentists have in their power the ability to purchase these devices, add them to their diagnostic armamentarium and improve their patient care. The addition of these important diagnostic technologies requires investment of funds as well as time to learn new skills needed to properly read diagnostic data. Yet the reward is tremendous for dentists and patients in the former's ability to remove guesswork from their treatment planning. An additional significant benefit of this technology is the dentist's unprecedented ability to precisely identify caries during treatment as well, and therefore, save more tooth structure than was possible before.
Our practice implements SOPROLIFE, the most advanced caries detection device currently on the market. It has a caries detection mode and an imaging mode, which allow our doctors and their patients to visualize caries lesion, as well as to see the enlarged image of the new cavity or existing decaying restoration (filling or crown).

Laser

One of the most important advantages of dental lasers is the laser's capability to reduce the amount of bacteria and pathogens present in soft tissues (gum) and hard tissues (bone). During periodontal (gum) surgery, lasers achieve good hemostasis (control and stop bleeding) therefore reducing and minimizing the necessity for sutures and eliminating possibility of scar formation. The other important advantage is that the laser can effectively and selectively interact with diseased tissues. It means that the lasers can clean and stop the bleeding in inflammatory granulation substances during gum treatments while, at the same time, not affecting surrounding healthy tissues.

Lasers offer variety of tangible benefits. Some of them include:

1. Assist in treating gum disease
2. Soft tissue manipulation during crown and bridge impressions, which eliminates a need for a lengthy and uncomfortable retraction cord placement. It also results in more accurate impressions, which guarantees accuracy in marginal integrity and hence longevity of crowns, fillings and inlays.
3. Removal of frenum or fibromas is bloodless and painless, eliminating a need for sutures.
4. Removal of gum overgrowth.
5. Treating infectious tissues and areas without a need to prescribe antibiotics, especially for those patients who cannot take these medications.
6. Removal of soft tissue over implants (uncovering of implants) eliminating incisions, sutures and a 3-4 weeks healing period.
7. Powerful disinfection during endodontic therapy.

Purchasing such technology comes with great responsibility. Dentists must have conventional clinical experience, receive a proper education and training for safe operation, be familiar with intended procedures, educate his or her staff about maintenance and safety procedures, etc.
Having come in contact with this technology, patients agree that the dental laser is an amazing, efficient and comforting piece of equipment in dental practice.

CAD CAM

CAD CAM technology simply means that patients spend less time in a chair. In fact, a crown or an inlay, which usually takes two visits to complete, can be completed in just one visit with CAD CAM.

Here is how it is done:

After the patient is anesthetized, a tooth is prepared for a crown or an inlay. A pen-sized wand is waved over the tooth. This action captures the image of the tooth and transmits it to the computer screen where it can be seen in 3D. The computer then analyzes the image and creates an ideal restoration. A dentist can modify and customize the crown right there. After the final design is confirmed, the computer sends the image to a milling unit located in the in-office lab. This milling unit has a chamber where a block of porcelain is cut and the desired crown or inlay is made. The restoration is then polished and tried in the patient's mouth. The patient approves the fit and color and the restoration is cemented. This whole procedure takes 1.5 hours - the same time it would take though the conventional crown-making process, where this time is spent to prepare the tooth, take an impression and make a temporary crown, but include messy impressions, extra numbing and unsightly temporary crowns; not to mention, the patient has to return to the office to have this crown cemented. With CAD CAM it is all done in one visit.

Another benefit of such a restoration is that it is milled from one solid piece of porcelain, as opposed to a layering technique used in manufacturing of conventional crowns. In other words the CAD CAM crown is much stronger and everlasting.

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