Digital X-Rays - A safe, accurate, & complete picture of your whole mouth
Digital radiography, a digital x-ray, is the latest technology employed to take dental x-rays. This technique uses an electronic sensor (instead of x-ray film) to capture and store your images on a computer. This image can be instantly viewed and enlarged, helping to detect and analyze your complete oral health. Digital x-rays reduce radiation 80-90% compared to the already low exposure of traditional dental x-rays.
Dental x-rays are great preventative and diagnostic tools, providing valuable information not visible during a regular dental exam. We at Dentalways in Little Rock can use this information to safely and accurately detect hidden dental abnormalities and complete an accurate treatment plan. Without x-rays, problem areas may go undetected.
Dental x-rays may reveal:
- abscesses or cysts
- bone loss
- cancerous and non-cancerous tumors
- decay between the teeth
- developmental abnormalities
- poor tooth and root positions
- problems inside a tooth or below the gum line
Detecting and treating dental problems at an early stage may save you time, money, unnecessary discomfort, and your teeth!
Are dental x-rays safe?
We're all naturally exposed to certain amounts of radiation in our environment. Digital x-rays generate a significantly lower level of radiation compared to traditional dental x-rays. Digital x-rays are not only better for the health and safety of you, the patient - they are faster and more comfortable to take, which reduces your time in the dental office. Because the image is digital and electronically captured, there's no need to develop x-rays, therefore eliminating the disposal of harmful waste and chemicals into the environment.
Even though digital x-rays produce a low level of radiation and are considered very safe, Dr. Khullar and his team still take necessary precautions to limit your exposure to radiation. These precautions include only taking necessary x-rays, while using lead apron shields to protect the body.
How often should dental x-rays be taken?
The need for dental x-rays depends on your individual dental health needs. We'll recommend necessary x-rays based upon the review of your medical and dental history, a dental exam, signs and symptoms, your age and risk of disease.
A full mouth series of dental x-rays is recommended for new patients and the results are typically good for three to five years. Bite-wing x-rays (x-rays of top and bottom teeth biting together) are taken at recall (check-up) visits and are recommended once or twice a year to detect new dental problems.
Panoramic X-rays - Providing a better view
Panoramic X-rays do what the name suggests. They take wrap-around photographs of your face and teeth, offering a otherwise invisible view. X-rays in general, bring to light hidden structures, such as wisdom teeth, reveal preliminary signs of cavities, and illuminate fractures and bone loss. Panoramic X-rays are easy and simple to perform. Typically, dental X-rays involve film being placed inside your mouth, but panoramic film is hidden inside a mechanism that rotates around the outside of your head.
When we use a panoramic x-ray, it provides family dentist Dr. Khullar and our entire Dentalways team, with an ear-to-ear two-dimensional view of both the upper and lower jaw. Most commonly, panoramic x-rays are used to show the positioning of wisdom teeth and to check whether dental implants will affects your mandibular nerve.
Panoramic X-rays are generally taken on an as-needed basis, unlike bitewing x-rays that require re-takes every few years. A panoramic x-ray is used to provide a better view of the sinus areas, nasal areas and mandibular nerve. Panoramic x-rays are preferable to bitewing x-rays when you're in extreme pain, and when a sinus problem is suspected to have caused dental problems.
Panoramic x-rays are used to:
- assess patients with an extreme gag reflex
- evalute the progression of TMJ
- expose cysts and abnormalities
- expose impacted teeth
- expose jawbone fractures
- plan treatment (full and partial dentures, braces, and implants)
- reveal gum disease and cavities
How are panoramic x-rays taken?
The Panorex equipment consists of a rotating arm that holds the x-ray generator, and a moving film attachment that holds the pictures. The head is positioned between these two devices. The x-ray generator then moves around your head taking pictures. The positioning of the body and the head is what determines how clear, sharp and useful the x-rays will be to us. The pictures are magnified by as much as 30% to ensure that even the tiniest detail will be noted.
Important diagnostic tool
Panoramic x-rays are an important diagnostic tool, valuable for planning future treatments. They are safer than other types of x-rays because less radiation enters the body. Together with other technology and advanced treatments, panoramic x-rays are wonderful in helping us diagnosis and treat dental problems, preventing future problems from occurring.
Laser Dentistry - More accurate, less painful
In the last few years, laser dentistry has outdated certain traditional dentistry practices, because treatments are more precise and less painful. This newer style of dentistry employs intense beams of light cast by a dental laser. Dental lasers can be used to perform a variety of treatments, including soft tissue shaping and removal.
The FDA deemed laser dentistry to be safe for public usage in 1990. Since then, we at Dentalways have incorporated dental lasers into everyday procedures – reducing bleeding, anxiety and post-treatment recovery times. With dental lasers, there is far less damage far of the surrounding tissue than with traditional techniques – which means less pain and discomfort for you.
Benefits associated with laser dentistry:
- faster healing and tissue regeneration
- preservation of more of the natural tooth
- reduced bleeding during and after treatment
- reduced need for anesthesia
- reduced need for stitches and sutures
- reduced risk of bacterial infections after procedures
Can laser dentristry help me?
Laser dentistry is incredibly versatile and plays an important role in an advancing number of common dental procedures. Though laser dentistry is mainly associated with cosmetic treatments, its equally effective for preventative purposes. Ways dental lasers can be used:
TOOTH PREPARATION
Prior to laser dentistry, a drill would be required to prepare the tooth for a filling. Lasers can now completely eliminate the need for drilling and anesthesia. Lasers also successfully kill oral bacteria around the surgical site.
RESHAPING SOFT TISSUE
Dental lasers can dissolve soft tissue to expose more of the natural tooth (crown lengthening), reshape soft tissue to make “gummy smiles” more attractive, and remove uncomfortable soft tissue folds caused by denture wear.
FRENECTOMY
Lasers can improve speech and the feeding habits of babies, children and adults by untying the tongue.
TUMOR REMOVAL
When benign tumors have formed in the soft tissue areas of the mouth, a dental laser can completely remove them without causing pain.
WHITENING
Lasers can greatly expedite the tooth whitening process by increasing the activity of the particles in the peroxide bleaching solution.
BIOPSY
Lasers are sometimes used to perform a biopsy on suspicious areas of soft tissue. This biopsy procedure can be performed instantly and with great precision.
How are laser procedures performed?
Different conditions require different types of dental lasers. Each laser uses a different wavelength of light, which predicates its best use. The most common types of dental lasers are carbon dioxide lasers and diode lasers, generally used to treat soft tissue problems. Dr. Khullar and his Dentalways team will decide which type of laser is best to use after conducting x-rays and a thorough examination.
Special glasses will be provided to protect your eyes, since the laser beam is extremely bright. Dr. Khullar will then direct the beam at the affected area and carefully dissolve the soft tissue, harden the filling or whiten the teeth. This takes far less time than conventional methods and causes far less anxiety and discomfort.
The BIOLASE® Waterlase®
Waterlase md turboBIOLASE® Technology has designed innovative dental lasers to reduce the complexity and trauma associated with many common dental procedures. The drill (aka the ‘handpiece’) strikes fear into the hearts of many with its accompanying noise, vibration and heat. The Waterlase® device uses "hydrokinetic technology" to remove hard and soft tissue with laser-powered water droplets. There is no heat, no vibrations and no noise when a Waterlase laser is used. And its completely safe. The FDA deemed the hydrokinetic laser safe for use on both adults and children in 1998.
Waterlase® works by accurately combining atomized water and laser energy to gently eliminate hard and soft tissue. This accuracy and precision means in most cases, there's no need for anesthesia. In addition, the laser actually sterilizes the surgical area, meaning there's less risk of bacterial entering, causing infections. For children and patients that have a real fear of the dentist, the Waterlase® offers a needle-less, painless way to achieve the perfect smile.
Sirona Galileos 3D Dental Imaging - Detailed view, better results
Physicians have relied on computerized axial tomography scans (CAT), for many years. CAT scans are an x-ray procedure employing different x-ray images with the help of computers to generate cross-sectional or even 3D views of your internal organs and the structures within your body. A knee replacement surgery, for example, would never be performed without first examining 3D imaging.
More recently, dentists have started to rely on 3D imaging techniques and Galileos CT scans to provide them with a detailed view of the mouth and skull. The advantage that 3D imaging holds over regular dental x-rays is that bone structure, bone density, tissues and nerves can be clearly viewed.
Because Galileos CT scans can be completed in less than 14 seconds, far less radiation enters your body than a regular set of bitewing x-rays. The main use for Galileos CT scans is as an aid to plan dental implant treatment and other oral surgeries.
How are Sirona Galileos CT scans used?
Dental implants are the most sophisticated replacement for missing teeth, but have historically proven to be time-consuming to place. Galileos CT scans vastly reduce the time it takes to implant teeth. With the Cerec to Galileos connection Dr. Khullar is able to predictably place implants, due to CT guided implant placement and restorations.
Galileos CT scans are advantageous because they allow the our Little Rock Dentalways team, to magnify specific areas of your face. In addition, family dentist Dr. Khullar can easily view cross-sectional “slices” of your jaw, which makes planning treatment easier and faster.
Galileos CT scans are used in dentistry to:
- assess the quality of the jawbone where the implant will be placed
- virtually place implants using advanced software
- determien where nerves are located
- diagnose tumors and disease in the early stages
- measure the density of the jawbone where the implant will be placed
- pinpoint the most effective placement for implants, including the angle of best fit
- plan the complete surgical procedure in advance, from start to finish
- precisely decide on the appropriate size and type of implants
- view exact orientation and position of each tooth
- view impacted teeth
How are Sirona Galileos CT scans performed?
Galileos CT scans are quick and simple to perform. A Cone Beam Imaging System is at the heart of the Galileos scanner. During the scan, you will sit stationary on a designated seat. The cone beams are used to take literally hundreds of pictures of your face. These pictures are used to compile an exact 3D image of the inner mechanisms of your jaw and face. Family dentist, Dr. Khullar is able to zoom in on specific areas and view them from alternate angles.
Less cost, less time, better end result
The Galileos CT scan is an incredible tool, minimizing the cost of dental treatment, reducing treatment time and enhancing the end results of dental surgery. Together with other technology and advanced treatments, Sirona Galileos 3D imaging is wonderful in helping us diagnosis and treat dental problems, preventing future problems from occurring.
