Advanced Technology

Precision Dentistry

When you seek care at our office, you are assured that Dr. Miller and his staff utilize the latest in technology to enhance the quality and fit for your dental care.

Our practice uses high power microscopes to enhance the precision of patient care.

Dentistry is micro-surgery. Using microscope that is similar to the one an ophthalmologist uses enables us to create dental restorations with 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.

For the most precise aspects of restorative procedures, we useair-driven hand-pieces. This results in extraordinarily precise interfaces between your tooth and your new restoration (crown, veneer, or filling). This will bring more comfort to you as well. With a more precise tool, there is less vibration and less noise.

iTero

The iTero Procedure

Let’s face it, very few of us have perfect teeth, free of decay and fillings. You can probably see a filling or two in your own mouth, which do just that — “fill” a cavity, or hole, in your tooth left from the excavation of decayed tooth structure. In many cases, those fillings are made of metal material and can go bad, weaken the tooth, or get additional decay under or around it. In fact, 1.2 billion of these metal fillings wil need to bereplaced in the next 10 years.

Exam and Preparation

First, your Dentist examines the tooth and determines the appropriate treatment. It could be a simple filling or a full crown, depending on how much healthy tooth structure is remaining and the clinical judgement of your Dentist. Next, he or she administers an anethetic and prepares your tooth for the restoration, removing decayed and weakened tooth tissue. This preparation is just like he or she would do for many other restorative techniques.

iTero “Optical” Impression

Then, your Dentist takes an Optical Impression of the prepared tooth. Instead of filling a tray with impression “goop” that you must bite into and hold in your mouth until it hardens, your Dentist uses a camera to take a digital picture of your tooth. This whole Optical Impression takes only a minute or two.

iTero Acquisition Unit

The iTero Acquitiion Unit is mobile and houses a medical grade comprter and the iTero camera. Your dentist uses the camea to take a series of digital pictures of your prepared tooth. This picture is used instead of a traditional impression. This means no impression tray and material for you to gag on. The computer and iTero software converts the digital picture to athree-dimensional virtual model of your prepped tooth which in turn generates a model that a laboratory technician can fabricate whatever restoration you and your dentist have decided upon.

Digital Imaging

Dr. Miller chooses carefully which and when radiographs are taken. 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 in between your teeth, determine bone level, and analyze the health of your bone. We can also examine the roots and nerves of teeth, diagnose lesions such as cysts or tumors, as well as assess damage when trauma occurs.

Dental radiographs are invaluable aids in diagnosing, treating, and maintaining dental health. Exposure time for dental radiographs is extremely minimal. Dr. Miller utilizes Digital Imaging Technologies within the office. With digital imaging, exposure time is about 50 percent less when compared to 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 enables us to quickly and easily transfer them to specialists or insurance companies.

Digital X-rays offer more precision since we view the image on a computer monitor, instead of holding up a 35mm film up to the light. Digital X-rays results in 1/6th the radiation exposure to you.

DIAGNOdent

Lasers can be used to diagnose cavities. They can find hidden decay in teeth in early stages, and in some cases the decay can be reversed through hygiene and fluoride treatment and may never need filling.

Areas of dental care that benefit from laser technology:

  • Cavity diagnosis and removal
  • Whitening teeth

Many patients, especially younger patients, are very familiar with the latest technology and are comfortable with the high tech practice. Computers are their primary method of information processing.

Intraoral Camera

Dr. Miller utilizes intraoral camera technology that helps 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, in order for us to accurately make a diagnosis. With clear, defined, enlarged images, you see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations.This can mean faster diagnosis with less chair-time for you!

Intra oral cameras also enable our practice to save your images in our office computer to provide a permanent record of treatments. These images can be printed for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.