Technology

Digital x-rays, also known as digital radiographs, use a small electronic sensor to capture and display images of your teeth on a computer monitor. At Rocktown Family Dental Center, we use digital x-rays to diagnose and treat dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, and other conditions we can't see with a routine dental exam. 

We use digital x-rays because they offer so many benefits to our patients:

• Digital x-rays expose you to about 80 percent less radiation than film x-rays.
• Images produced by digital x-rays are much higher resolution than traditional film x-rays and allow for improved accuracy in diagnosis and treatment planning
• We can view digital x-rays almost immediately, which means less time spent waiting for results.
• Digital x-rays don't require chemicals or film processing, so they won't harm the environment.
• We use digital x-rays as an educational tool because we can zoom in and manipulate the images to give you a better view of the problem and help you understand why we recommend treatment.

Unlike regular digital x-rays that show only a small portion of your mouth, panoramic x-rays show our dentist a broad view of your entire mouth, including your teeth, jaws, sinuses, and surrounding structures. Panoramic x-rays are extra-oral, meaning they are taken outside the mouth. Instead of sitting with a digital sensor in your mouth, you stand in front of the x-ray machine as it rotates around your head. The result is a single image that displays your entire oral cavity.

While panoramic x-ray images are not ideal for finding cavities, we commonly use them to detect infections, impacted teeth, TMJ problems, tumors, and bone abnormalities.

Also called laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a safe, sweet-smelling gas we use to help you feel more relaxed and comfortable during dental procedures. Nitrous is mixed with oxygen, and you breathe in the mixture through a soft mask that covers your nose.

Nitrous enters your bloodstream as you inhale it and produces feelings of relaxation, comfort, and calm; however, you won’t go to sleep and will remain awake and able to talk to us.

One benefit of nitrous oxide is that its effects come on quickly and go away quickly. At the end of your procedure, we switch from the nitrous blend to pure oxygen, which you inhale for several minutes. The oxygen helps clear your head of groggy sensations so you can drive yourself home and go on with your day.

The idea of root canal treatment can be stressful, but here at Rocktown Family Dental Care, we use the latest technology and techniques to make the process comfortable and efficient. Rotary endodontics uses an electric handpiece to clean and shape the root canals of your teeth. The handpiece has a small, flexible tip that rotates at a high speed to efficiently remove infected tissue from the root canals.

Using rotary endodontic technology, our dentist can complete root canal treatment faster and with minimal discomfort. The handpiece operates at a consistent speed, so you will experience less noise and vibration than you would with the traditional manual method. This means greater comfort and less time in the chair.

Digital impressions are a modern approach to creating an accurate mold of your teeth, eliminating the need for messy paste impressions. Instead, we use a handheld device to scan your teeth and gums and capture a 3-D image of your mouth. The image is sent to a computer, where we use it to create a virtual model to design your tooth restoration.

Digital impressions benefit both you and our dentist, including:

• Providing a more accurate mold of your teeth than traditional impressions, resulting in a better fit for your crown or bridge.
• Minimizing your time in the dental chair because there’s no need to wait for the impression material to set. This is especially important for patients who have a sensitive gag reflex.
• Improving your comfort by using a quick and easy, non-invasive approach.

Digital impressions also allow our dentist to communicate more effectively with the dental lab to ensure your restoration is designed to our exact specifications.

Digital patient records at Rocktown Family Dental Care enhance patient care in several ways. They are more secure than paper, as they are encrypted and password-protected to protect sensitive personal and health information. Digital records are also more accurate and easier to update than paper records.

With digital records, we can share your information easily among our staff and with specialists to ensure your safety and continuity of care. Our staff can work more efficiently by accessing your information quickly and easily and spending less time filling out paperwork.

With TVs in all our treatment rooms, we can help distract you from the procedure, reduce anxiety, and create a more comfortable and relaxed environment.