When I first started at Pike Lake Dental Center nearly 20 years ago, our dental technology was very different than it is today. The constantly evolving technology is one of my favorite aspects about the dental field. I also think it helps keep our staff interested in and enjoying their jobs.
I am a huge Will Ferrell fan. Have you seen the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby? Here’s one of my favorite quotes from the movie, even if it’s terribly grammatically incorrect: “If you ain’t first, you’re last” – Ricky Bobby. That’s true in dentistry too. At Pike Lake Dental Center, we feel we are setting the standard for excellent dental care in the Northland and we aim to keep it that way.
My bitewing x rays from 2001.
X rays 20 years ago were totally old-school. I remember taking the film packets to the little film developing machine, plunging my hands into the tiny dark room and sending the films through the chemical developing process. It would take a few minutes, but the completed bitewing or periapical film would pop out on the opposite end of the machine, dry and hopefully clear.
We copied x rays in much the same way. Our darkroom also served as a storage closet and was located under the stairwell in the geodesic dome, the original home of Pike Lake Dental Center. Sandy and I would lock ourselves into the small space, block out all light, lay the film we wanted to duplicate over the blank film, process it under a special light, then secure the duplicated film into a light-proof case. It was back to the trusty developing machine to open up the light-proof case and send the duplicated x ray through the developing machine. Oh, the good ol’ days!
One of our digital x ray units.
When Dr. Matt invested into digital films a few years after we moved into our new building, it was a game changer. Not only are the films much clearer for our patients, the processing time is nearly instantaneous. Other benefits include less waste, there are no film wrappers or film to dispose of, less chemicals and less counter space without the film developing machine. Plus, the patient’s exposure to radiation is significantly less. There are also no more lead aprons for the patient to wear.
Our 3D scanner and panorex machine.
The panorex machine has changed drastically too. No longer do we take the large films and process them in the same fashion as the old bitewing or periapical films. We now offer our patients a state of the art panorex machine which is also a 3D scanner. This machine is truly incredible. The 3D scanner can capture many different images for many different reasons. If we need to scan your airway to see if you’re a possible candidate for sleep apnea, we can do it. If you need a panorex x ray to aid in maintaining your oral health, we can do it. If there is an area of concern that we can’t capture on a bitewing or periapical x ray in the operatory, we can take a closer look with a more detailed scan. If you’re having a dental implant or a major dental surgery, the 2D and 3D scans allow us, and anyone else working on the case, to see a clearer view of the patient’s mouth, jaw and head. This machine is amazing!
The benefits of a digital image are so important, not only for our patients but also for the environment. If we need to get images to a specialist quickly, we can send them securely via email, no more USPS or having the patient pick up their films to bring along with them. Conference call with a specialist? Both doctors can view the same image on their individual computers while on the phone together. What is the quality difference between film and digital images? The quality of digital imaging is vastly superior to the old-school film images. Not only are the images sharper, dental providers can manipulate the exposure of the image to see areas more clearly, making an accurate diagnosis easier.
Imaging options on our 3D scanner.
The move to digital imaging has also allowed our office to go paperless. What does a “paperless office” mean? The biggest change is the patient’s chart. We no longer have a physical chart for each patient. Instead we keep each patient’s records electronically, so all notes, films and pertinent information such as insurance cards, referrals and communication from specialists in one convenient place where any staff member can access it from any workstation. Going paperless has also cut down immensely on our paper usage. Of course, we still do need to use paper within the office, but it’s at a much lower amount now.
So why is it important to us to stay abreast of the latest technology in our field? There are a few key reasons in my opinion:
- The technology is COOL! I am completely serious – the technology is so cool. If you had told me how far we’d come in just the technology of x rays when I was standing in that little closet duplicating films 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you.
- The ability to diagnose is much easier. With the improved quality of images comes improved ability to detect, diagnose and treat our patients.
- Safety for both our patients and our staff. The levels of radiation and chemical exposure are greatly reduced, producing a healthier environment all around.
- If we don’t stay on top of the ever changing technology, the chasm between the old and new technology just continues to grow and the leap into the new technology becomes harder and harder.
A photo of my latest panorex.
We are proud to offer this amazing technology to our patients. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or have just joined our practice or are thinking about becoming a patient, we strive to always be at the top of our game and provide you and your loved ones with the very best dental services available. Always.
Written and submitted by Stephanie Jugovich, staff member at Pike Lake Dental Center
Our office recently tested out a new 3D camera/scanner. We had a lunch and learn meeting with the scanner’s salesman where we learned about the benefits and potential of the machine. We were able to test it out on each other and get a good feel for the product. It wasn’t a difficult decision to purchase the equipment. The scanner just arrived a few weeks ago and we’ve already been putting it to good use!
This scanner also helps us continue to eliminate the gooey impression material for most procedures. We can take digital impressions to send to dental labs for splints, crowns, bridges, surgical guides, Invisalign and more. We can also send those same scans to our own CEREC and 3D printer to create crowns, bridges, splints, implants, surgical guides, study models, and more. I feel the possibilities are endless!
A digital scan, kept on file, can be reused for multiple purposes. Perhaps we scanned you in May for a baseline scan. In August you find you need a splint to help cure nighttime clenching. We can use the same scan. In October, you break a tooth and need a crown. Yes, we can use the same scan.
If you suspect you or a loved one suffer from sleep apnea, you’ve probably also given some thought to a traditional sleep study to be officially diagnosed. Going to a sleep study clinic for an overnight, with all those wires attached to you, doesn’t probably sound like a very fun night out. What if there was another option for an accurate sleep study? What if you could have a sleep study taken while sleeping in your own bed, with just this little machine attached to your chest, wrist and first finger? Sounds appealing, right?
The WatchPAT is a small device that is able to monitor a patient’s sleep and confirm whether or not he or she suffers from sleep apnea. To gain this diagnosis, the WatchPAT monitors sleep time, snoring, restless sleep, each stage of sleep (REM, deep and light), sleep position, and the oxygen in the blood. It’s pretty complex for as little as it is!
The best part: You can do this sleep study right in your own home, in the comfort of your own bed! We believe it’s a more accurate study because your sleep is more natural in your own comfortable surroundings.
Oftentimes, patients are surprised by the sleep study results. Even more often, they are surprised by the severity of their results. We have seen patients who have been misdiagnosed by others, or they haven’t felt the symptoms they present are severe enough to warrant sharing them with their healthcare professionals.
We’ve been talking a lot about our CEREC lately both in the office and on Facebook. CEREC is an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics or CEramic REConstruction. This two part system has revolutionized crowns and bridges in our office. Just this week, we had a technician out to perform some routine service our milling unit. He told us we had over 49,000 minutes on this machine. In 11 years, that’s a lot of run time!
No more gooey impressions! Before, we would take impressions with the gooey impression material two times during a crown or bridge prep and send them off to the dental lab to create the crown or bridge for us. Now, impressions are made digitally with this machine, the CEREC acquisition unit. Not only can we take digital impressions for crowns and bridges with this machine – we can take impressions for dental implants, Invisalign treatment plans, night guards or splints, surgical guides, and even whitening kits. Digital impressions are so much easier and much more precise than the old style gooey impressions. Plus, we keep the scanned file in the patient’s digital chart, so we are able to refer back to it if it’s ever needed.
Another cool bonus about the CEREC is you, as a patient, can watch your new crown being made from start to finish. The impression and design process is done right in the operatory with you. Once we send the file to the milling unit, you can watch the tooth progress. This isn’t top secret science, we want you to be involved! There aren’t many times a person can say they watched a tooth, especially their own, being created right before their eyes.
We can also keep a close eye on quality control. Sometimes we would get a crown back from the lab and it wouldn’t fit well or it was the wrong shade. In those instances, it usually meant taking impressions again and sending the crown back to the lab. It also usually meant having the patient come back to our office again in another two weeks. Not so anymore. If something is wrong with the crown, we can quickly mill another one. We make sure every crown is made to our extremely high standards. We even use our skills to custom shade the crowns to get the perfect shade for each unique patient.
I’d be lying if I told you we don’t like playing with the technology, too. It gives us great satisfaction to know we have created something strong, beautiful and durable from start to finish right here inside our office. Being able to learn and improve upon all aspects of the crown process from creation to completion, we have honed our skills over the past eleven years and can produce a consistent, high-quality product with extremely high customer satisfaction. We are pretty proud of that fact.
In hindsight, we are extremely happy we invested in our CEREC many years ago. We have made some updates with software and cameras over the years and have taken care of it with routine maintenance and service. We have loved this machine and our patients love it too. With this machine, we are utilizing the latest and best technology to ensure our patients are receiving the best care available. Insist on the best – you’re worth it!
When I travel, though, I leave my electric toothbrush at home. When packing for a family vacation for 5 people, every ounce up to that dreaded 50# weight limit matters. I don’t want to sacrifice any more real estate in our suitcases than absolutely necessary, so I opt for a lightweight and easily packable standard issue toothbrush from the dental office. It never fails – by the third day of a week-long trip, my teeth just don’t feel quite as clean. Is it my overly dentally-aware mind playing tricks on me? Possibly.
If you’re in the market for an electric toothbrush, Pike Lake Dental Center does sell an incredible electric toothbrush package. The kit includes the rechargeable electric toothbrush, multiple brush heads, a carrying case, charging port, toothpaste, mouthwash, and more. This toothbrush is so smart it can connect to your smartphone via bluetooth to help ensure you
First is the implant itself. This is the part that, as Wikipedia says, interfaces with the bone of the patient’s jaw. The dental implants we use today are made of titanium. Through a process called osseointegration, the implant will form an intimate bond with the patient’s bone, which anchors it in place. Most times, the implants’ shapes and sizes are designed to mimic the root of the tooth it is replacing. Implants typically have a tapered, threaded design which allows for accurate and stable placement. Dental implants also have a special coating or treatment on their surfaces that help them integrate with the jaw bone.
This is the intermediary part that joins the crown, bridge or denture to the implant. The abutment interfaces with the implant with very precise machined surfaces and is often held in place with a screw through its center. The screw is then tightened to a specific setting using a special torque wrench. The implant abutment serves as the transition piece from the implant through the gum tissue to the final restoration.
times an individual crown or bridge and is held to the implant abutment by cement. Once the cement is cured, the restoration (crown or bridge) is then ready for normal use. Most times these components are fixed, or are anchored, permanently in a patient’s mouth. The crown or bridge will not need to be removed.
Center, for more on dental implants. In future blogs, we will try to shed more light on the process of placing a dental implant and some of the more frequently asked questions.