2607 S. Southeast Blvd, Suite B180
Spokane, WA 99223
Spokane, WA 99223
Phone: (509) 838-4165
Fax: (509) 838-6959
Fax: (509) 838-6959
Smiles of Spokane
Technology
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Diode Laser CEREC Diagnodent Digital X-Rays Patient Education Dental Health Guides Diode Laser In this day of rapidly changing treatment options Smiles of Spokane dental practice takes a great deal of pride in using the most cutting edge technology for the benefit and comfort of our patients. The diode laser has proven to be a very versatile tool that is most commonly used to perform soft tissue surgery, including gum shaping and re-contouring. This is a procedure that we use to gently remove unwanted gun tissue. If a patient has uneven or excessive gum tissue that shows when they're smiling we can quickly and easily change it to produce a beautiful smile. We also use the diode laser to "release" frenums, which is the tissue that attaches the lips to the gums or the tongue to the floor of the mouth. In addition, we use it to remove tumors and lesions of the mouth right in our office with very little discomfort to our patients. The benefits to our patients in using the diode laser are:
CEREC The CEREC system is a huge advantage to our busy patients because it enables Smiles of Spokane dental practice to create the strongest and most aesthetically pleasing crowns and fillings completed in a single appointment. It allows us to skip the impressions, temporaries and the lab time required to make crowns the traditional way. Imagine how much time this saves our patients! We can make an all porcelain/ceramic restoration that can be bonded to the tooth which will not wear out prematurely and will not cause excessive wear to the opposing tooth. The restoration is made using the old tooth or the opposing tooth as a guide to assure that the bit is perfect. Several scanned images are taken from which a virtual model is created. The restoration which is made on the virtual model is sent wirelessly to the lab where it is milled to exact specification. After the restoration is fit and properly adjusted, it goes through a glazing process that allows additional color characterization and puts a glossy shine on the finished product. It is then bonded in place. The benefits to our patients in using the CEREC system are:
Diagnodent One of the most important things we at Smiles of Spokane dental practice do is to identify and fill cavities. Even very small areas of decay can threaten the integrity of the entire tooth. Traditional methods of decay detection have been shown to be unsuccessful up to 50% of the time. The tactile examination, which is poking with a sharp instrument, is still the most common method used by many dentists to detect decay. This method is limited to cavities that are equal to or larger than the probe head. That's why Smiles of Spokane dental practice uses the Diagnodent which utilizes a diode laser to inspect the teeth where the traditional probe can't go. The laser is directed into the tooth and as this is done it fluoresces a specific wave length. This reflected light is measured electronically and quantified by a scale of between 1 and 100. If the laser encounters an area of the tooth that is in the earliest stages of decay or has a cavity, the wavelength of the light changes and the diagnodent system is designed to provide a numerical reading as well as an audible signal. It ensures that we will accurately find any cavity even in its earliest stages so we can properly treat it. This puts our patients in the enviable position of having a lifetime of the best possible dental care. The benefits to our patients in using the diagnodent system are:
Digital X-Rays Digital x-rays allow radiographs to be taken and recorded electronically then viewed almost immediately on the computer screen. It allows the image to be viewed on a much larger scale as well as electronically manipulated to show much more detail than what can be seen in traditional x-rays. It's also important to point out that the toxic chemicals required to develop traditional x-rays are no longer needed which eliminates the need for their disposal. The most important advantage to our patients at Smiles of Spokane is that there is up to an 80% reduction in the amount of radiation they are exposed to. Having digital x-rays in our office also enables us to communicate with specialists electronically as well as transferring charts if a patient moves out of the area. The benefits to our patients in using digital x-rays are:
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