Special Equipment
How CEREC Works
We use a highly-sensitive precision wand to digitally scan the section of your mouth where a dental restoration will be placed. As the wand scans the area, it builds a virtual model of your mouth on a screen right in front of your eyes. You and your doctor can fine-tune the area until the virtual model represents your mouth exactly.
Once the digital model of the dental restoration area have been finished, Terrace Oaks Dental will digitally design a restoration right there on the screen. It will be designed to be fully functional and fit exactly in the area where it needs to be place.
From there, this digital restoration will be sent to a milling machine where a color-matched block of porcelain will be precisely milled into the final restoration. This restoration is NOT a temporary, but rather the same restoration we expect to receive from a dental lab.
The final restoration is test-fitted to the area and any final adjustments are made before securely bonding the restoration to the tooth. You will walk out of our office wearing the final restoration in a single dental visit.
Single appointment dentistry is not too good to be true! Call us at (813) 985-6606 or request an appointment to see what CEREC can do for your specific situation.
Cone Beam CT
Dental cone beam computed tomography (CT) is a special type of x-ray machine used in situations where regular dental or facial x-rays are not sufficient. This type of CT scanner uses a special type of technology to generate three dimensional (3-D) images of dental structures, soft tissues, nerve paths and bone in the craniofacial region in a single scan. Images obtained with cone beam CT allow for more precise treatment planning.
It is important to know that not all patients will need this type of x-ray. We will only use this x-ray to ensure to assist us with treatment or diagnosis.
At Terrace Oaks Dental, we use the Vatech Green CT which reduces patient’s exposure to radiation when compared to other Cone Beam CT and at the same time providing superior image quality.
Common uses and advantages of Cone Beam CT:
- Surgical planning for impacted teeth.
- Locating the origin of pain or pathology
- Diagnosing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
- Accurate placement of dental implants. (See CT guided implant)
- Evaluation of the jaw, sinuses, nerve canals and nasal cavity
- Detecting, measuring and treating jaw tumors or any other pathology
- Determining bone structure and tooth orientation
3Shape TRIOS Intra-Oral Scanner
3Shape TRIOS is a 3D wireless scanner that creates high quality digital impressions in color for better dental treatment evaluations.
It is comfortable and fast, reducing chair time and improving dialogue between patient and dentist.
NV PRO3 Microlaser
Diode lasers have many advantages over traditional surgical and therapeutic techniques including less pain, faster healing. Some of the common procedures performed using diode laser include preparation of gum tissue, disinfecting gum pockets after deep cleaning, re-shaping of the gum, gum surgery, and biopsy.
There is minimal recovery time and quick healing with this tech, promoting same-day dental care and quicker visits.
At Terrace Oaks Dental, we used NV Diode Laser to help us with aforementioned procedures.
KaVo ELECTROmatic Premium
Dr. Gibbs picked this technologically advanced drill because of its functionality and increased versatility.
It decreases time spent in the dentists chair, gives the dentist more options and control, and is quieter than most other drills.
Digital X-Rays
The benefits of digital x-rays over conventional radiography include:
Increased Patient Safety: Digital x-rays expose patients to 70% – 80% less radiation than conventional x-rays. This is hugely beneficial to the long-term health of patients, especially pregnant women, or patients who are already suffering from illness.
Less Invasive: With digital x-rays dentists are able to more easily recognize oral issues, meaning less need for invasive investigation at the diagnosis stage.
Immediate Results: With digital x-rays there are no processing times, meaning that the results are immediately available for viewing. Traditional radiography requires film to be processed, meaning that patients have to return for a follow-up appointment.
Higher Quality Images: The superior imaging capabilities of digital x-rays makes diagnosis quicker and easier for dentists, translating to earlier detection rates for patients.
Environmentally friendly: Digital x-rays are created and stored digitally, meaning less waste.
All of our x-rays here at Terrace Oaks Dental are digital images including (CT, Panoramic, and Dental X-rays).
