December 12th, 2010
One of the most amazing recent advances in dental technologies has been that of digital x-rays. In order for your dentist to properly examine your teeth and decide on correct action, it is vital that he or she can visualize your teeth well. Digital x-rays have revolutionized the manner in which dentists can look at your teeth. These techniques are widely practiced by City of London dentists today.
In the past, the traditional x-ray only allowed dentists to view the mouth in two dimensions. A number of these flat, 2D images would need to be taken for your dentist to have a complete view of all the angles of your mouth. This could mean expensive bills for the patient. By contrast, only one digital image needs to be taken for your dentist to have a complete, 3D view of your mouth using the latest in computer technology.
When digital x-rays are used in conjunction with other technologies, the results can be amazing. For instance, CEREC techniques mean that 3D images can be sent over the internet to online milling machines which can use the data to fabricate crowns, veneers and more in just minutes. For anyone nervous about spending a long time in the dentist’s chair, digital x-rays mean that lengthy visits to the dentist are a thing of the past
Despite the use of such cutting edge technology, digital x-rays are actually reducing the cost of many dental practices because lab fees to develop traditional x-rays are done away with and the length of time spent at the dentist is dramatically reduced. Ask your City of London dentist about what digital x-rays can do for you.
July 4th, 2010
City of London dentists are always looking to use new technology to improve the standard of dental treatment. New devices and tools are being developed all the time aiming to make treatment more effective and efficient, not to mention more comfortable for the patient. One of the most incredible new dentistry tools to have been developed is Cerec. This is a revolutionary new system of making dental crowns, veneers and inlays that is set to change the face of dentistry.
Cerec works by using the power of 3D imaging and digital x-rays. These allow the dentist and instant view of the patient’s teeth in three dimensions. The image can be saved and is very accurate. This allows the dentist to design a new dental restoration on the computer with a great degree of accuracy. But here comes the really clever bit. Once happy with the design, the dentist can then send this information to a milling machine that is linked to the computer. This then sculpts the new restoration from a singe piece of porcelain. This process can take as little as six minutes per tooth and the resulting crown or veneer is perfectly accurate and sized and ready to be fitted into the mouth. The dentist can then fix the crown or veneer in the normal way using dental bonding.
This whole process can be achieved in little more than an hour meaning dental restorations, which used to take up to two weeks from start to finish can now be achieved in just one appointment. As you can see this is quite an amazing advancement in the field of dentistry and one which you too can now experience at your City of London dentist.
November 9th, 2009
A dental crown is a ceramic cap that is placed over the top of an existing damaged tooth to restore its cosmetic appearance and preserve its structural integrity. Teeth are commonly damaged from head traumas received as the result of sporting injury or other accident. Teeth can also be damaged by dental decay and the resulting treatment, which may need securing with a crown.
In the past, the manufacturing process involved in producing a dental crown was very lengthy and complex. A dentist would need to take several dental moulds and x-rays. These mould and x-rays would need casting and developing to give the dentist a platform to make the crown. This would then take place in a laboratory over several days or even weeks.
There is now a new technology that allows for design and production of dental crowns and veneers in a fraction of this time. The introduction of CEREC technology in recent years has seen the increased use of computer-aided technology to revolutionise this process and even modern dentistry as a whole. CEREC stands for CERamic REconstruction and is a cutting edge system using the latest in 3D imaging and digital x-rays. Using these tools the dentist can create an exact three-dimensional image of the patient’s mouth on a computer. They can then use this image to design a crown, veneer or ceramic filling to microscopic degrees of accuracy. When satisfied they can then instruct the computer guided milling machine to sculpt the crown from a single piece of porcelain in as little as six minutes. In fact the whole process from imaging to installation can be accomplished in little over an hour.
This technology represents the future of dentistry. Waiting times, appointment times and treatment quality have all improved as a result of CEREC. The porcelain can even be chosen to most closely match the colour of the patients existing teeth such is the level of detail involved in the treatment.
Patients requiring dental crowns for damaged teeth or who are looking to improve previous dental work should make an appointment to see a Central London dentist and ask about CEREC. The future of dentistry has arrived and is available to give you the best possible standards of dental care.
