Digital X-Rays
We’ve invested in a new way of looking into your mouth – a procedure that’s fast, comfortable, and incredibly precise. Using digital radiography, we can clearly identify all external and internal anatomical structures and accurately diagnose any dental problems. We can then immediately translate that information onto a 22″ TV monitor you and our hygienist, or you and Dr. Fisher or Dr. Zitterich can study together. You won’t even have to leave your chair. Digital radiography’s technology improves and simplifies the way we care for our patients’ teeth, resulting in better dental evaluations and treatment decisions.
Traditionally, dentists used x-rays to see what the naked eye could not; x-rays were developed in a darkroom with hazardous chemicals, and then viewed on a special light board. They were very small and often hard to read. The developed x-rays then had to be stored, which required large filing systems. By far, the worst part of traditional x-rays was the radiation exposure to patients. Digital radiography has completely transformed this process.
Now, when you come into our office for x-rays, a digital sensor is used to capture the image, and up to 90-percent LESS radiation than traditional x-rays is required. This creates a detailed image of your teeth and jaws that is immediately viewable on a chairside monitor, carrying with it all the conveniences of other digitized images. We can rotate and magnify it, adjust it for contrast, and even color-code it for educational purposes. The digital images store easily and efficiently in our computer files, and are completely safe and secure with daily back-up performed. For insurance purposes, referrals, or patient education, digital x-rays can be easily, inexpensively, and accurately reproduced indefinitely.
Digital x-rays offer unparalleled benefits over traditional radiographs: they’re convenient, safe for the environment, provide a great opportunity for patient education, can be transferred and copied accurately, and best of all, they’re safer for our patients. You’ll get less radiation than you’ll get from the sun walking to your car.
Intraoral Cameras With Chairside Monitors
People seldom have a clear idea of what’s going on with their teeth, until something hurts—and then it may be too late to take care of the problem easily or inexpensively. Even with lights and mirrors, you can’t see what Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zitterich or our hygienist sees—that is, until now.
We use intraoral cameras, so when you visit our office, you can sit comfortably back in your chair and see everything we see. We use a small camera-tipped wand, about the size of an electric toothbrush. Covered with a disposable plastic sheath for cleanliness, the camera takes high-resolution pictures of the inside of your mouth and transmits the images via cable to a computer. The computer then enlarges the full-color images and sends them to a TV screen that you can comfortably view from the dental chair. Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zitterich can help you see areas of concern and explain options for treatment, so you’ll become an informed partner in your dental care instead of a clueless bystander.
Seeing your teeth “up close and personal” may seem overwhelming at first, but it’s of huge value to you! The camera may reveal the early stages of potentially serious problems, allowing you the opportunity to prevent or care for small problems before they escalate. This is especially helpful with gum disease and other conditions that cause damage without causing pain like beginning cracks in teeth. The camera’s honest survey can also show you how your regular home hygiene routine is paying off as our hygienist can help you see hard to clean areas that may need more attention when you’re brushing and flossing at home.
Electric Handpieces
If you’ve spent much time at all in a dental office over the years, you know one of the things that bothers most people is the sound of the “drill”. Most dental drills are air-driven, and that’s why they make that high-pitched squeal that can be so unnerving to so many. We use state of the art electric handpieces to clean cavities and shape and polish fillings and teeth. They operate far quieter than older-style drills and are far more comfortable to use. So the old sound of the “drill” is a thing of the past.
Diagnostic Wax-Up Models
Just as an automobile designer builds a three-dimensional model of a new car to make sure everything fits and works properly, Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zitterich often fabricate a diagnostic model of your teeth when working on more complex restorative or cosmetic cases. By building an accurate model of your mouth, we can test prosthetics, veneers, and other dental work to ensure a proper fit. You can also see what the end-result will look like on the wax model, so you’ll make a truly informed decision about your dental work. Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zitterich can sculpt the model to reflect changes requested before your case goes to the dental laboratory for final fabrication. Wax-ups provide us with a realistic projection of how your dental work will look and function, which results in more accurate restorations.
In many cases, teeth have worn so severely over time that we can only guess at what they used to look like many years ago. Models can then be made of the teeth the way they currently are, and we can use those in the lab to carve new “teeth” out of white wax. This lets us test-fit a new bite and examine it for ideal shape and size before we actually begin treatment.
3D Computer Guided Planning & Placement
With CT scanning and 3D planning software, many implant procedures are more precise and predictable than ever. If this process is right for you, our computerized system provides a detailed, three-dimensional image of your jaw so we can more accurately determine the optimal location for your implants. Computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques are then used to create an implant placement guide for the surgery, and make your teeth or bridgework prior to your appointment. With this process we can place your implants and deliver your new teeth in about an hour
Ask Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zitterich at your complimentary consultation if this process is right for you.
Laser Dentistry
State of the art lasers let Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zitterich perform safe, precision dentistry that’s more comfortable for you. Laser dentistry, minimizes bleeding, and results in fast procedure and recovery times.
For example, for patients who have excessive gum tissue, their teeth can appear too short or stubby. What you may not know is that beneath that excessive or overgrown soft tissue, your teeth are just waiting to be revealed. If you have a gummy smile, we may recommend a gum lift, otherwise known as a gingivectomy.
This simple cosmetic procedure can often be performed with our new hand-held soft tissue laser, the iLASE. We’ll talk with you about your options and what to expect during the procedure, then discuss the outcome you want to achieve. The day of your procedure, we’ll mark your gum tissue, make sure that you’re comfortable using anesthesia or sedation, and then precisely remove the excess gum tissue. After a brief recovery, your new smile will look bold, beautiful, better than you thought possible!
For patients who also have excessive bone beneath their gummy smile, we may opt for a procedure called Osseous Crown Lengthening. This can also be performed with the help of our iLASE, and requires additional contouring of the underlying bony support beneath the re-contoured gums to get just the right proportions for your new look.
Laser gum lifts may be performed before new ceramic crowns, veneers, or Lumineers are made. Or if the basic shape of your gums is okay but you have a little asymmetry from one tooth to another, the iLASE lets Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zitterich sculpt your gums with pin-point accuracy. If you don’t like the way your smile looks and think you show too much gum or would benefit from subtle gum sculpting, ask Dr. Fisher or Dr. Zitterich if the iLase can help you.
One of the most remarkable uses of the iLASE hand-held laser is in the treatment of fever blisters, cold sores and aphthous ulcers (canker sores). Those that suffer with these know and uncomfortable and embarrassing they can be. When treated early, the ILASE can prevent an outbreak from occurring at all. Or if you already have blisters or sores, treatment with the laser can make them fade away much faster.
To help us find small cavities before they become large problems, we use the DIAGNOdent laser to scan teeth for decay and demineralization. This means that fillings, if needed, can be smaller and more conservative. And that translates to less time, trouble, and expense for you.
