Our Technology

Good dental care starts with a clear view of what’s happening in your mouth. Our office uses four imaging and scanning tools. They help your dentist find problems and plan treatment, and they let you see what your dentist sees. Here is what each one is and how it helps you.

Digital X-Rays

X-rays show what can’t be seen during an exam, such as decay between teeth, the bone around the roots and signs of infection. With digital X-rays, a small sensor takes the place of film, and the image appears on a screen within moments. Your dentist can enlarge the image and adjust the contrast to look closely at a tooth, and you can see the image too while your dentist explains it. Digital images are easy to compare from one visit to the next, which helps show whether something is changing. They can also be shared electronically with a specialist when you need a referral. As with any X-ray, your dentist takes them only when they are needed for your care.

Intraoral Camera

An intraoral camera is a small camera about the size of a pen. Your dentist moves it gently around your mouth, and a close-up picture of each tooth appears on a screen. This lets you see what the dentist sees, such as a crack, a worn filling, or plaque along the gumline. Seeing a problem for yourself can make it easier to understand your options and make decisions about treatment. Pictures can also be saved, so your dentist can compare an area over time.

Digital Impression Scanner

For many treatments, a digital scanner takes the place of trays filled with impression putty. The scanner is a small wand that is moved over your teeth while it takes many pictures. Software combines them into a detailed 3D model of your teeth and bite, which you can see on the screen as it is built. If an area needs another look, just that part can be scanned again. The model is sent electronically to the dental laboratory or to the company that makes your appliance. Digital scans are used for crowns and bridges, implant crowns, Invisalign aligners, night guards, sleep appliances and whitening trays.

3D Cone Beam CT

Regular dental X-rays are flat, two-dimensional pictures. A cone beam CT (CBCT) scan creates a three-dimensional image of your teeth, jaws and the structures around them. During the scan, you stay still for a short time while the machine rotates around your head. Your dentist can then view the area from any angle and in thin slices.

A 3D scan is not part of a routine checkup. It is used when a flat X-ray doesn’t give enough information, for example to measure the bone and locate nerves and sinuses when planning a dental implant, or to take a closer look at a tooth’s roots and the bone around them.

Questions?

If you’d like to know more about any of these tools, or why a particular image or scan is recommended for you, just ask at your next visit to our Redmond office.