Digital X-rays
Using the most advanced dental technology possible is just as important as staying up-to-date on the latest treatment techniques. Because our practice is dedicated to providing you with the safest and most convenient treatment options available, we utilize advanced digital X-ray technology in our office.
Digital X-rays provide several advanced imaging options designed to save time, provide clearer dental photos, and expose patients to less radiation than traditional X-ray technology.
Our practice is focused on making your dental experience as comfortable as possible. At your next appointment, we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about our digital X-ray technology.
Intraoral Camera
You know the importance of prevention when it comes to your dental health, and we’re always looking for new, improved ways to help you achieve a healthy smile for life. While X-rays provide valuable information, they don’t give a complete view of everything that is going on inside your mouth. With the use of an intraoral camera, we can see every aspect of your teeth and mouth with incredible detail, uncovering cracked teeth, plaque deposits, cavities next to fillings, and excessive wear. When we can discover oral problems early on, your treatment is much less invasive and much more cost effective.
Our intraoral camera is small, about the size of the mirror we use during your regular hygiene appointments. You probably wouldn’t even notice we’re using it, except that with the intraoral camera, you have the opportunity to see everything we see on a monitor. This is a great tool to help you become more informed about your dental health, as it gives you a clear understanding of your teeth’s condition, and it allows you to make a more informed decision regarding your treatment options.
Digital Impressions
No more goop, gagging, or discomfort. Using the latest in digital technology, your dentist can take a highly accurate digital impression of your teeth. The new technology ensures a more accurate impression from the start, resulting in improved treatment and a more comfortable patient experience. Digital impressions give you the ability to see your teeth instantly in 3D, improving communication during the consultation and treatment process.
Our digital impression scanner captures the structure of the teeth and gums using the latest optical technology. The scanner is a compact, hand-held wand. Once your dentist begins the scanning process, it can be stopped and started as many times as necessary.
Your mouth is scanned with a radiation-free laser, and in as little as two to three minutes, renders a digitally perfect, 3D impression of your teeth and soft tissue structures. Through digital software, you’ll then be able to follow the progress of the scans including a three-dimensional model of your teeth on our computer screen. Digital impressions can be used for any restorative treatment including crowns, veneers, inlays/onlays, bridges, implants, and orthodontic treatments, including Invisalign®.
Click to read the latest articles from Dr. Amini on this topic:
- San Francisco Dentist, Ben Amini DDS, will Soon be Offering the New iTero Element, a 3D Scanning Technology
- CitiDent will be Offering The Latest Invisalign Scanner: Element 2
Laser Dentistry
Laser dentistry has emerged as a more convenient and comfortable alternative to treatment with traditional instruments, such as drills. Restoration of the teeth and gums can be performed using lasers, which reduce discomfort by providing analgesic effects. Many patients do not require anesthesia during laser dentistry procedures, and laser dentistry can be particularly preferable among children for this reason. The low noise of lasers also makes lasers less likely to provoke anxiety among patients with dental fear. These procedures from Dr. Ben Amini, our San Francisco laser dentistry expert, also encourage faster healing thanks to reduced impact on the tissues that they are used to treat.
The focused beam of light created by laser instruments is incredibly versatile, allowing for shaping or removal of tissue depending on which procedure is being performed by our expert in laser dentistry in San Francisco. During teeth whitening procedures, lasers can be used to speed the rate of whitening. Root canal treatment can involve using lasers to treat the infected tissue. During wisdom teeth removal, lasers can be used to expose the teeth for easier extraction. Biopsy, removal of inflamed or damaged gum tissue, and reduction of sores in the mouth can also be performed with lasers.
Click to read the latest articles from Dr. Amini on this topic:
- San Francisco Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Ben Amini, Comments on the Use of Painless Dental Lasers
- San Francisco Dentist, Dr. Ben Amini, Now Offers Laser Dental Treatments
- Application of Laser in Dental Treatments, Explained by Dr. Ben Amini, San Francisco Dentist
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer is becoming more common today. More than 45,000 cases were diagnosed in the United States in 2015 alone, and numbers are predicted to increase in the coming years. Like other cancers, oral cancer benefits from early diagnosis. Although the diagnosis of oral cancer lesions often occurs after a dental exam, the earliest cases have only recently started being more detectable thanks to newer technology. ViziLite Pro, a product based on light-based fluorescence, is now being used at CitiDent for oral cancer screens for San Francisco patients.
