Technology

Dental x-rays allow us to diagnose tooth decay and periodontal disease that can't be seen with a visual examination. With x-rays of your teeth, Dr. Doan can identify the problem and provide safe treatment based on what she sees on your x-ray.

At our Jacksonville dental office, we use digital x-rays that minimize radiation exposure by about 80 percent. We only take x-rays as needed to diagnose or monitor conditions and to ensure we have an up-to-date picture of your oral health.

Using modern digital x-rays instead of film offers many benefits:

• We can detect cavities and gum disease long before we can see them and then treat them before they threaten your oral health.
• We can share the digital images with you so you can see what the problem is and how treatment will benefit you.
• With routine digital x-rays, we always have a complete picture of your oral health on file.
• We can share your x-rays electronically with specialists and for pre-treatment insurance estimates.
• Digital x-rays don’t require any chemicals, making them safer for the environment.

3-D dental cone beam computed tomography (CBCT or just CT) is a high-tech imaging technology that our dentist uses when a traditional two-dimensional x-ray doesn't provide sufficient information. A dental CT scan produces highly detailed 3-D images that show bone, soft tissues, and teeth in a single image.

Taking CT scans is easy, non-invasive, and produces highly accurate results. Other benefits of using cone beam imaging at our Jacksonville dental office are:

• Cone beam CT scans provide us with more detail than a traditional x-ray, which results in more precise treatment planning:
• CT scans show us bone and soft tissue in the same image.
• A single scan shows our dentist a wide variety of angles and views.
• With 3-D cone beam scanning, we perform a detailed evaluation of the jaw, sinuses, nasal cavity, and nerve canals.

With 3-D cone beam scanning, Dr. Doan can perform a detailed evaluation of the jaw, sinuses, nasal cavity, and nerve canals to assist with accurate dental implant placement.

CEREC is a technology we use at our Jacksonville dental office to minimize the time needed to get dental restorations like crowns, bridges, and veneers. CEREC is the acronym for Chairside Economical Reconstruction of Esthetic Ceramics. This rather long description means that you can now have a dental restoration completed and placed on your tooth within hours, instead of the typical 2-3 weeks needed for a lab crown. 

CEREC uses CAD/CAM technology and digital impressions to deliver a 3-D image of your teeth to the specialized software. Dr. Doan completes the design process within the software, which gives her complete control over the processes, which is not always possible at a dental lab. When the design is finalized, we send the file to highly specialized 3-D fabrication equipment in our office that mills your crown, bridge, or veneer out of a block of porcelain while you wait. 

With CEREC, there’s no two-week wait, no multiple visits or injections, and no messy, goopy impressions! 

If you’ve ever sat through a dental exam and feel frustrated because you don’t know what the dentist sees? With intraoral cameras, we take the mystery out of what a dental exam entails and what our dentist is looking for.

An intraoral camera is just that: A tiny digital camera that fits inside your mouth and transmits the images to your chairside monitor. You can follow along with the exam as Dr. Doan explains what she sees because the images appear in real-time on your monitor.

We can tell you that you have a cavity, but it’s a whole different story when you see it with your own eyes! Now you understand exactly what the problem is, why we recommend treatment, and how it will benefit your oral health. This information enables you to make educated and confident decisions about your oral health. 

Since the images are digital, we can save them to your patient record and easily send them to your insurance company or specialists as needed.