Dentistry has come a long way in the last few decades. In this digital age, dentists have been given access to tools that can improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient education. Among these are two fantastic tools that we utilize daily in our Longmont dental office, and we’d like to tell you a bit about them, including how they’re an improvement and how they can help you and our staff keep your teeth healthier.
Once upon a time, dentists had to rely on traditional x-rays of your teeth for diagnostics. These presented many problems: they were uncomfortable to fit into some areas of your mouth, extra time had to be taken to develop them, the images were not always of the best quality, and they were difficult to transfer from one dentist to another.
Improvements in x-ray technology have made digital x-rays available to more and more dentists, and we have converted all of our examination rooms to use these digital x-rays. These x-rays are much faster, can be taken at a higher resolution to allow for more detail and better diagnostics, and can be enlarged and displayed on a computer monitor rather than a teeny mouth-sized film. They can also be digitally transmitted from one office to another, so if you see a specialist or move to a new city, your x-ray records can be there before you are!
Yes! In fact, they’re even safer than standard x-rays. These digital x-ray machines use up to 90 percent less radiation than a traditional x-ray and still provide a superior image. Of course, Longmont dentist Dr. Bond and his staff will still take every precaution to keep you safe and healthy, but digital radiology is an improvement over the old technology in every way, including safety.
How Do Intra-Oral Cameras Work?
Digital x-rays are a great tool, but as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and intra-oral cameras give us that picture! These teeny tiny cameras can fit into every area of your mouth, allowing us to take high-resolution photographs of even hard-to-reach areas. This not only allows Dr. Bond to spot dental problems that a visual examination could easily miss, but it also gives us an opportunity to discuss your dental health with a powerful visual aid.
Understanding what is going on inside your mouth can not only make your dental visit more relaxed and comfortable, it can also help us show you ways to improve your oral health, such as focusing home care routines on areas that you might be missing now. It helps you make more informed decisions about treatment options, too, and like digital x-rays, copies of intra-oral photos can be easily transmitted by email.
Digital radiography and intra-oral photography are only two of the advances technology has made available; we also employ dental lasers, the latest in implant and root canal technology, and a wide range of other state-of-the-art and digital tools that make diagnosis, treatment, and education easier and faster for everyone.
If you want to learn more about the technology being used at Bond Family & Implant Dentistry’s Longmont, CO dental office, call today and schedule an appointment!