For patients who do not look forward to needles, drilling, or numbness, laser dentistry, may be the right choice.
Laser dentistry is one of dentistry's latest advances. The laser delivers energy in the form of light. Depending on the intended result, this energy travels at different wavelengths and is absorbed by a "target." In dentistry, these targets can be enamel, decay, gum tissue, or whitening enhancers. Each one absorbs a different wavelength of light while reflecting others. Laser dentistry can be used for both tooth and soft tissue related procedures. Often times no local anesthesia is required. Unlike the dental drill, with laser dentistry there is no heat or vibration, making the procedure quite comfortable for most patients. For soft tissue (surgical) procedures, it eliminates the need for suturing and healing is much faster.
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.
Click here for a complete list of FDA cleared procedures.
Dental lasers have been shown to be safe and effective for treating both children and adults.
Periodontal or gum disease happens when bacteria gets below the gum line and the attachment between the gum and tooth is lost. Three out of four Americans have some form of periodontal disease and only three out of 100 will ever get treated before it’s too late.
Gum disease is a silent, chronic, painless, and communicable bacterial infection that often goes undetected or ignored until severe gum and bone destruction is unbearable and no longer able to be ignored. Left untreated gum disease can cause tooth loss and traditional treatment can be painful.
The latest conservative gum therapy uses a laser. The laser gently disinfects and evaporates diseased tissues from around the tooth and inside the gum pocket. This treatment interrupts the bacterial destruction of the tissues and bone, giving the gum pocket a chance to heal. Systematic repeated visits, generally two to eight, allow the gum pocket to be disease-free and sometimes allow tissues to reattach to the pocket back to a normal or near-normal depth. This new laser therapy is gentle, less painful and has a quicker recovery. While surgery may still be indicated for severely advanced periodontal cases, laser therapy is a much more conservative, effective, and comfortable option for beginning to moderate periodontal cases.
LaserSmile® is the most advanced in-office accelerated tooth whitening system available today. It creates a more aesthetic appearance by reversing discoloration of tooth enamel. LaserSmile® combines an activation gel with the laser's unique characteristics. The primary ingredient in the LaserSmile® gel has been used in teeth whitening for over 100 years. This proven system will give you a more noticeable whiter smile.
The procedure is quick and easy. In just one visit to our office you can sit back, relax and in 60 minutes you will leave with the brightest smile you have ever had.
Fast, Safe and Effective! LaserSmile®
Many patients, especially younger patients, are very familiar with the latest technology and are more comfortable with the high-tech practice. Computers and TV screens are their primary method of information processing.
Dr. Scharp and Dr. Kitzrow utilize intraoral camera technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An intraoral camera is a very small camera. In some cases, an intraoral camera is 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 treatments can be printed as for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.
Digital Photography enhanced with Adobe Photoshop provides a comprehensive view of all of your teeth and smile. This allows us to devise a dental treatment plan that addressed any concerns you may have regarding the esthetics and function of your teeth and supporting tissues.
When you seek care at our office, you are assured that the dentists and staff at Dental Health Care utilize the latest in technology to enhance the quality and fit for your dental care.
Our practice uses high-powered microscopes to enhance the precision of patient care.
Dentistry is micro-surgery. Using a similar microscope that an ophthalmologist uses enables us to create dental restorations with incredibility 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 to you.
Many dentists use air-driven "hand-pieces" (the dental term for "drills"). While acceptable for many procedures, these "whiney sounding" air powered hand pieces all have a degree of non-concentricity; they do not rotate perfectly smoothly.
For the most precise aspects of restorative procedures, we use electric 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!
Dr. Scharp and Dr. Kitzrow choose 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 health of 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. Your doctor 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.
The advantages of digital imaging enables us to not only store patient images, but also enables us to quickly transfer them to appropriate 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 result in one-sixth the radiation exposure to you.
Big Rapids Dental Health Care Associates, P.C. | 126 Maple Street, Big Rapids, MI 49307 | Phone: (231) 796-4747 | Fax: (231) 796-5711
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