The equipment we use, and what it changes for you
Digital impressions, 3D imaging, lasers and intraoral cameras, and what each one is actually for.
Equipment is only worth writing about if it changes something for the person in the chair. Here is what we use and what it actually does.
Digital impressions
A handheld scanner builds a 3D model of your teeth instead of the tray of putty you had to sit still with. It is more comfortable, it is more accurate, and crowns and aligners made from it fit better first time.
Cone beam CT
A 3D scan of the teeth, jaw and the structures around them. A flat x-ray tells you a certain amount; a CBCT shows where a nerve actually runs and how much bone there is before an implant goes in. It is the difference between planning and guessing.
Dental lasers
Used for gum treatment, some cavity work and parts of cosmetic procedures. Less need for anaesthetic in some cases, less bleeding, and gum tissue that tends to settle faster.
Intraoral cameras
A small camera that puts what the dentist is looking at onto a screen you can see. This is the one that changes conversations most. It is easier to agree on what needs doing when you are both looking at the same crack.
3D printing and CAD/CAM
Crowns, bridges, dentures and surgical guides designed on screen and made on site. It shortens the wait between preparing a tooth and fitting the final restoration, and it removes a round of posting things to a lab.
Remote consultations
Useful for a follow-up, for a first opinion on whether something needs an appointment, and for patients who cannot easily travel. It does not replace an examination, and we will say so if you need to come in.
The point
None of this substitutes for a careful examination and an honest conversation. It just makes both of those more precise.
