Whether we like it or not, technology plays a huge role in most of our lives. Computers and internet access are a big part of how we entertain and educate ourselves about our world. GPS satellites help us navigate roads in unfamiliar places. Technology affects how many of us do our jobs, too. Our team at Sunrise Dental has incorporated the latest technology into our practice at all our dentist offices in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, and Chapel Hill. This isn’t about showing off fancy equipment like the latest iPad or the newest smartphone. This about making sure our general dentistry practice can provide the best service to you and your family. Today, we want to explain three ways technology is making your dental care better than ever. 1. 3-D Imaging If you or someone you know has undergone a CAT scan, then you have an idea how our cone beam scanner works.  This is like a smaller version of a CAT scan machine. The cone beam scanner can make hundreds of images of your head in a matter of minutes. Each image is a slice showing part of your head and teeth. This slices can be reassembled with computer software to produce a three-dimensional model of your teeth, jawbone, and skull. This remarkable technology allows us to better understand our patient’s oral health. One way we are putting this technology to use is with dental implant placement. Previously, we only had two-dimensional images. We could use these to estimate where dental implants should be placed. Now, we can know with more accuracy where the implant should be placed to provide you with the most benefit possible. 2. Faster Images While cone beam images are invaluable, X-rays are still helpful for identifying many common issues like cavities and impacted teeth. With film X-rays, the dentist has to wait to see the images. The film has to be exposed, developed, and fixed before it is ready to be examined. Thanks to our digital X-rays, the images are ready almost instantaneously. This helps us find cavities faster and to compare previous X-rays quicker to find any changes to your teeth since your last visit. This is particularly helpful with younger patients, who may be losing their baby teeth and whose adult teeth may be erupting. Seeing this process can help us determine if orthodontic treatment may be needed. 3. Closer Views The human eye can only see so much. This is why astronomers use telescopes to look deeper into the sky and why scientists use microscopes to examine organism and particles that are too small for us to see. In dentistry, we have a tool that helps us examine your mouth from a new angle as well. Our intraoral cameras give us a magnified, close-up view of your teeth and mouth. We can even project what the camera sees on a television screen so you can see what’s happening inside your mouth, too. We have learned that showing patients what we see often helps you better understand any problems that we may find. We know dentistry can be confusing at times, and we want to make it as clear as we can. The intraoral cameras also give us the ability to identify problems earlier than we might have otherwise. And as we all know, treating a problem early makes the treatment more effective. Putting Our Patients First We believe our patients deserve the highest quality care that we can offer in our modern dental practice. We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to identify potential oral health problems. We also use technology to make your treatment more effective. We see this as an investment for our patients, like you and your family. It’s the same reason we strive to make you feel as comfortable as you can be when you come to any of our four offices. Our goal is to provide comprehensive dental care. You shouldn’t have to visit multiple dentists for cosmetic, family, general, and restorative dentistry. We can provide all of those things in one place. Using technology also makes us more confident in what we do. This is why we offer a five-year guarantee on the work that we do for patients who continue visiting us for routine care. New Patients Are Always Welcome We love seeing our regular patients, but we enjoy making new friends as well. If you are new to our area or just looking for a new dentist, stop by any of our offices in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, or Chapel Hill to learn more about us and what we have to offer. Call the Sunrise Dental location nearest to you or follow the link to make an appointment with our online form. We look forward to meeting — and treating — you soon.