Advanced Technology
Precision Dentistry
When you seek care at our office, you are assured that Drs. Meekins, Holesh, and their staff utilize the latest in technology to enhance the quality and fit for your dental care.
Digital Imaging
Drs. Meekins or Holesh carefully select which and when radiographs are taken. There are many guidelines that we follow. Radiographs allow us to see everything we cannot see with our own eyes. Radiographs enable us to detect cavities in between your teeth, determine bone level, and analyze the health of your bone. We can also examine the roots and nerves of teeth, diagnose lesions such as cysts or tumors, as well as assess damage when trauma occurs.
Dental radiographs are invaluable aids in diagnosing, treating, and maintaining dental health. Exposure time for dental radiographs is extremely minimal. Drs. Meekins and Holesh utilize Digital Imaging Technologies within the office. With digital imaging, exposure time is about 50 percent less when compared to traditional radiographs. Digital imaging can also help us retrieve valuable diagnostic information. We may be able to see cavities better and earlier, ultimately benefitting you.
Digital imaging allows us to store patient images, and enables us to quickly and easily transfer them to specialists or insurance companies.
Digital X-Rays:
Digital X-rays offer more precision since we view the image on a computer monitor, instead of holding up a 35mm film up to the light. Digital X-rays results in 1/6th the radiation exposure to you. For comparison of exposure levels, we have provided this table of radiation sources and comparable daily environment levels:
| Chest X-ray |
0.1 mSv |
10 day |
Negligible |
| Coast to coast flight in a commercial airplane |
0.03 mSv |
||
| 4 bitewing dental x-rays |
0.005 mSv |
1 day |
Negligible |
| Panoramic X-ray |
0.007 mSv |
1 day |
Negligible |
Radiology and health experts follow the rule of ALARA, or “as low as reasonably achievable.” This means limiting the risk of scatter radiation to staff and patents. While scatter radiation is minimal, it cannot perforate lead. As such, lead aprons are used to shield tissues that are most sensitive to radiation, including the thyroid gland and reproductive organs. While the risk is extremely low, the apron essentially prevents radiation exposure to other parts of the body that are of greater concern.
Intraoral Camera
Many patients, especially younger patients, are very familiar with the latest technology and are comfortable with the high tech practice. Computers and TV screens are their primary method of information processing.
Drs. Meekins and Holesh utilize Intraoral Camera technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An Intraoral Camera is a very small camera – in some cases, a lens just a few millimeters long. An Intraoral Camera allows our practice to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth and gums with magnification in order for us to accurately make a diagnosis. With clear, defined, enlarged images, you see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations. This can mean faster diagnosis with less chair-time for you!
Intraoral cameras also enable our practice to save your images in our office computer to provide a permanent record of treatments. These images can be printed for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.
Handpieces
Our practice uses noise-attenuating handpieces to minimize noise and create a more comfortable experience for you. Normal air-driven handpieces operate around 85-100dB, which is comparable to a jackhammer or a lawnmower volume. Ours reduce that volume to around normal speech volume, or 57dB, to make sure your experience is as quiet and pleasant as possible. We can also offer noise cancelling headphones as necessary.
Soft Tissue Laser
At times, soft tissue may need removal for cosmetic or restorative purposes. Whether troughing tissue for crown margins, frenectomies, or removing a tissue lesion for biopsy, our LTM laser allows quicker removal with faster healing, normally in the range of 3-7 days. This eliminates discomfort after the procedure and prevents the need for sutures in the mouth.