Dental technologies have evolved over the last few decades at a tremendous growth. The driving force behind the evolution has been patient need and comfort. Dentists use modern technologies to ease dental anxiety, maximize comfort and minimize treatment time. Dentists today provide virtually pain free treatment and the highest quality care. Some of the technologies our SmileCanada.ca dentists use are:

Air Abrasion

Air Abrasion is a new technology intended to replace the dentist’s drill and the need for anaesthesia in many dental procedures. Air abrasion is a method of tooth structure removal considered to be an effective alternative to the standard dental drill. Using a fine, precisely controlled high pressure stream, the air abrasion system removes enamel, dentin and restorative materials with ease, precision and without compromising healthy tooth structure. Air abrasion uses the kinetic energy principle, in which particles bounce off the tooth and blasts the decay away. Air abrasion procedures are virtually painless, which, in most cases, eliminates the need for an anaesthetic injection. Air abrasion systems produce no vibration and no heat from friction. The technology can’t harm soft mouth tissue and they operate very quietly. Because air abrasion cuts tooth surfaces with the utmost precision, it removes less tooth than the drill and it reduces the risk of enamel micro-fracturing. In other words, the advantages are more of your tooth is preserved, there is little or no discomfort, no anaesthetic numbness is needed, and treatment time is usually shorter.

Air Polishing

The Air Polishing was invented to provide an alternative method of stain and plaque removal. Air Polishing system uses air & water pressure to deliver a controlled stream of specially processed sodium bicarbonate in a slurry through the hand-piece nozzle. Fine particles of sodium bicarbonate are propelled by compressed air in a warm spray. This jet will remove surface stains, plaque and other soft deposits like food particles trapped in between teeth. Air Polishing is firmly established as an equally safe and, on occasion, superior alternative to traditional methods for removal of tooth stain and dental plaque and it is widely utilized and accepted by dental professionals as a conventional polishing system. Numerous scientific studies confirm that air polishing is efficacious, safe and easy to use.

Autoclave Sterilizer

Dental professionals are required to sterilize their instruments to protect both patients and practitioners from possible infectious diseases. An autoclave is a device to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high pressure saturated steam at 121 C or more, typically for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the load and the contents.

Bitewing X-rays

Bitewing X-rays is an important tool for a dentist to provide you good dental care. Bitewings dental X-rays are used to check the back teeth. As they show the crown of the tooth, bitewing X-rays are extremely helpful in detecting and determining tooth decay located in between teeth, various stages of gum disease and some other dental problems including tooth alignment. Bitewings are also excellent for detecting a build up of tartar, and are also used to measure bone loss due to advanced periodontal disease.

Digital Imaging Technology

Just as you try on clothes to see if they will look nice on you, now you can try on a new smile before beginning cosmetic dental treatment. Using dental simulation software and today’s digital imaging technology, cosmetic dentistry can improve your appearance. You can even take the image home to show family members as you consider your treatment options.

Digital Impression System

Intra oral digital impression systems are coming to the forefront of dentistry. Dentists have adopted this technology with open arms. These digital impressions systems replace the tray and putty method of impressing patients with a highly detailed digital scan of the tooth prep area. This technology-driven process eliminates the imprecision synonymous with conventional impressions. It also improves communication between the dental laboratory and the dentist making the turnaround time quick, this technology has brought in the comfort and convenience to dentists and patients alike.

Diode Laser

Practically bloodless and painless procedures can be performed most of the times using diode lasers. The soft tissue laser has been universally accepted as a tremendous adjunct to soft tissue therapies, providing dentists with an extremely precise, non-traumatic method for manipulating oral tissues. Dentists rely on this technology for a wide number of procedures which include balancing of gums, removing tooth decay, teeth whitening, kill bacteria and de-sensitizing teeth.

Digital X-Ray (CDR)

It provides sharp, clear images right on the dentist’s computer screen in real time, requiring just a fraction of the radiation of traditional film X-rays. Advantages include time efficiency through bypassing chemical processing and the ability to digitally transfer and enhance images. The dentist will be able to explain your diagnosis and show the problem without ever leaving your side. This makes it much easier for you to accept your recommended treatment and enhance the relationship and bond of trust that you share with your dentist.

Halimeter

Halimeter is the internationally recognized standard clinical instrument, used in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic halitosis (oral malodour). The good news is that your condition is curable in virtually 100% of all cases. Our best advice is for you to consult your dentist. Research has indicated that hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, other thiols, and dimethyl sulfide, collectively referred to as volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), are the principal malodorants in chronic halitosis. These compounds are generated by anaerobic bacteria, located principally on the back of the tongue. While many people are heavy users of over-the-counter mouthwashes, capsules, and mints, unless they are specially formulated to treat this affliction, they are of almost no long-term value. Although sophisticated and expensive instrumentation methods have occasionally been employed to determine VSC, Halimeter is the first unit specifically designed to measure VSC in a clinical setting.

Intraoral Camera

An intraoral camera is a camera which is designed to be used in the mouth for the purpose of taking video or still photography. One of the primary uses for an intraoral camera is in patient education. Dentists often find it helpful to be able to show patients exactly what is going on inside their mouths, and to highlight areas where medical attention may be needed. Patients are also less likely to defer or refuse procedures when they can clearly see the area at issue, as some people are suspicious of recommendations for dental procedures, due to concerns about cost, potential pain, or the fears about members of the dental profession. In addition to being used in patient education, such cameras can also be used to take clear visual records for patient files, and to generate material which can be used in consultations and discussions with other dental providers. For example, a general dentist might use an intraoral camera to take images of a tooth or area of the jaw which requires oral surgery so that a maxillofacial surgeon can examine the information before he or she meets the patient to get an idea of the kind of surgery which might be required.

Laser Cavity Detection

Laser devices are used by dentists to find even small amounts of tooth decay at the earliest stages before it develops into full-blown cavities using laser dentistry. Think of it as a laser cavity detector. The dentist uses a dental laser to scan zones where tooth decay is most likely to evade detection. Manual inspection and probing using a pick is not as effective and accurate in finding cavities or suspicious areas as using the laser detection. The laser detection is known to be accurate up to 90% of the cases.

Microsurgery

Dental microsurgery utilizes a dental microscope and fiber optic lighting system. Dentists use a Dental Operating Microscope (DOM) to magnify the area, giving them a better view of the procedure, and therefore improved precision. Because magnification spreads light out, making the area appear darker, many dental microscopes also include a fiber optic light to illuminate the area more thoroughly than traditional overhead light sources.

One Visit Fixing

These days, there’s a computer technology behind everything. Technologies are being used by our dentists that allow them to place a ceramic dental crown, tooth filling or veneers in just one visit.

Panorex FMX

The Panorex X-ray is a single picture of all your teeth and surrounding bones. In other words, it is a full mouth X-ray(FMX) that provides a two-dimensional panoramic view of your mouth. It is the evolution of your dentist’s conventional methods of X-ray where your dentist had to piece together many small X-rays to see a complete set of your teeth. The Panorex X-ray also exposes parts of your jaw that can’t be seen with traditional dental X-rays.

Ultra-Sonic Cleaning

There are many benefits for requesting an ultrasonic dental cleaning. This method is much faster than traditional hand scaling. The small tips are able to reach below the gum line to remove the tartar and plaque found there that hand scaling cannot reach. This method of dental cleaning when used in place of a traditional hand scaling can prevent gingivitis and periodontal disease. Ultrasonic dental cleaning also can remove heavy stains, such as coffee, tea and nicotine, that hand scaling cannot. The ultrasonic dental cleaning method has tremendous benefits. This painless procedure enables patients to take control over their diseases and helps slow down further damage. Ultrasonic scaling uses a machine called a cavitron which uses sound waves to remove tartar. People who wear pacemaker cannot get ultrasonic scaling because the ultrasonic sound can interfere with the function of the pacemaker.