Technology and Safety

Cone Beam CT Scan – iCat

The emerging standard of care in dentistry is the use of three-dimensional x-ray studies that allow the doctor to collect extremely valuable diagnostic information in order to best plan and deliver patient care. i-CAT cone beam 3D imaging provides three-dimensional imaging that produces focused visualization of the temporomandibular joints and enhanced views for detection of airway restrictions. The advanced software system streamlines diagnosis and treatment planning by providing highly accurate imaging.

The i-CAT unit is fully open and has a short image capture time, so there is no need to worry if you feel anxious about tight, enclosed spaces. You can find comfort in both the open structure of the unit and the familiarity of our office. Furthermore, it emits very low levels of radiation. Aside from the physical comfort of this system, your doctor can share a visual diagnosis with you almost immediately. This will allow your doctor to better predict procedural outcome and you more confidence in your treatment plan.

Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

Electronic medical records, or EMR, are environmentally friendly, streamline care coordination and are more secure than traditional records. Off-site backup ensures that your records are safe in the event of a natural disaster. It’s estimated that only approximately 20% of American medical and dental offices employ fully integrated digital systems; we pride ourselves on being part of that percentage. Our patients appreciate our efforts to reduce paper waste and protect their medical and dental history.

Dexis Digital X-Rays

Digital technology allows our doctors and dental team to use X-rays in ways never before imagined. This advanced technology is safer and more comfortable than standard film x-rays, and provides images of superior diagnostic quality that can be enhanced or highlighted in areas of concern to display greater detail.

There is no need to wedge uncomfortable film between your teeth and gums or wait around for negatives to develop; with our Dexis digital x-ray system we use small electronic sensors that send a crystal-clear image of your teeth to our computer monitor almost instantly! Our computer system allows us to archive and compare x-rays taken at each recare visit to detect even the slightest change in the appearance of your teeth. This means problems may be caught sooner, when they are easier and less expensive to treat.

iTerro® Digital Impressions

Impressions are often taken with materials that have a thick liquid or paste-like consistency that is placed in a tray and then placed over a tooth that is in need of a crown or the entire arch if an appliance is to be fabricated. This material can set quickly which often requires additional impressions to be taken to ensure accuracy. This can be very uncomfortable for the patient.

With iTero® Digital Impressions, we prepare the tooth exactly the same way for a crown but replace the mouthful of thick paste with a special optical digital scanner that gathers the information needed to fabricate your custom crown. That data can be instantly viewed to determine if more information is needed. This scanned image is then sent to a laboratory where an accurate model of the scanned image is fabricated and sent to the lab of our choice for final crown or appliance fabrication. Most of the potential errors associated with conventional impressions are eliminated. In fact, studies have shown this technology produces a more accurate model for crown fabrication than traditional impression material.

Laser Dentistry

Laser dentistry provides patients with a more comfortable and pleasing dental experience. Laser technology enable your doctor to control concentrated light beams with pinpoint accuracy during dental procedures, resulting in minimal tissue damage, less pain and discomfort, and much faster healing and recovery times. It increases treatment outcome predictability and results in stunning aesthetics.

There are several benefits to receiving a laser therapy dental treatment.

• Laser treatments often require only local anesthetic and the recovery time is much quicker than with traditional treatment methods.
• Treatments are more comfortable and over the counter pain medication will control any discomfort, if present.
• Lower chance of bacterial infection in comparison to traditional techniques. This is due to both precision and the process of ablation.

There are two different types of laser dentistry: hard tissue and soft tissue. Hard tissue includes treatments such as cavity detection, dental fillings, and tooth sensitivity improvements. Soft tissue treatments include gum reshaping and frenectomies.

Procedures such as removing benign oral tumors, regenerating nerves, overcoming sleep apnea, whitening teeth, and treating TMD are also considered laser dentistry treatments.

At Central Dental, we are proud to offer a number of laser dental procedures that will help ease the anxiety, discomfort, and recovery times associated with traditional alternatives.

Intraoral Cameras

Prevention is of the utmost importance 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, the images are magnified around 30 times, which enables us to see in much greater detail than can be seen with the eye alone. We can better view 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.

Infection Control

At Central Dental we take infection control seriously for your safety, as well as our own, seriously. We wear a fresh pair of latex free gloves while providing care for each patient. The gloves are used once and then discarded. We use eye protection, gowns, and masks for procedures during which there may be an aerosol spray or splatter of potentially infectious materials.

All instruments that are to be reused are properly cleaned according to the most current infection control protocol appropriate to dentistry. The State Dental Board requires biological monitoring, or spore testing, of sterilization machines monthly; however, we regularly test them weekly. Instruments are then placed in pouches and sterilized. The pouches are opened and sterilized instruments are then removed in the presence of the patient as they are needed for a dental procedure.

When possible, we purchase single-use only, disposable items, which are properly discarded after one use. The cost of disposable items is greater than the cost of reusable dental products and instruments; however, the value associated with peace of mind outweighs the expense.

The dental handpieces have always been disinfected and sterilized according to the manufacturers’ directions. All handpieces are sterilized after each use. Each year, we spend thousands of dollars on new handpieces and on repairing handpieces damaged by the sterilization process.

We are unwilling to compromise your health and our health by not following proper infection control guidelines. We follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines (for the employee and workplace) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines (for the patient).

Radiation Control

We are very concerned with radiation safety. Appropriate protective lead shields are always provided to you while we take your radiographs of your teeth or jaw. Our team works around radiograph units all day, every day so we have a vested interest in taking only necessary radiographs for both your health and ours. Rest assured that the only radiographs we recommend are those we need in order to accurately diagnose and treat.

Contact Central Dental

Any questions?

You can contact our staff and they’d be happy to answer your question. Simply fill out the contact form below or call our Little Rock office at (501) 225-1577 and our Conway office at (501) 327-6453. We look forward to meeting with you!