Our office is equipped with digital x-ray sensors, which display the image on our computer screens immediately upon capture. Aside from the convenience of not having to develop film in a darkroom, digital x-rays also emit much less radiation than traditional films. A single dental x-ray, in digital form, emits a dosage of only 2 μSv of radiation. For comparison, an average person’s daily exposure from background radiation on Earth is about 8 μSv, and a 5-hour airplane flight exposes a passenger to 35-40 μSv of radiation.

To help us visualize clinical conditions in the mouth, our office often employs the use of intraoral cameras to take photos of teeth, gums, or other oral tissues. The clear, magnified image is shown instantly on the computer screen, for both dentist and patient to see and analyze. This technology allows for close examination of leaking or chipped fillings or crowns, tooth cracks, infected gums, oral lesions, and other conditions that may be found during an examination.

Having been truly perfected only in the past decade or so, digital scanning technology has dramatically altered the way dentistry is being performed around the globe. Aside from rendering the old impression material mostly obsolete, the digital workflow allows a dentist to quickly mockup a new smile, find a custom shade match, or retrofit a new crown to fit an old appliance. Digital scans are sent immediately to the laboratory for processing, reducing the turnaround time between appointments. Our office is proud to offer our patients this cutting-edge service when clinically appropriate.