During the past decade, there have been many dramatic dental developments, most of which are due in large part to new and improved bonding materials. So-called "adhesion dentistry" has drastically changed the way dentists now combat dental disease.

New tools, new techniques, and new materials herald an exiting new era for the dental profession. Intraoral cameras, surgical telescopic glasses, and decay stains have made clinical dentistry more precise as well as more oriented towards prevention. New bonding agents, dental implants, air abrasion units, and lasers may also be found in your local dentist's office. With all of the new technology at our disposal, now is a great time for modern dentists, and an even better time for their patients to experience dentistry in a pain-free environment.

Dr. Boyd uses an intraoral camera that magnifies images of the teeth several times larger than life and project the images on a monitor to show our patients. Use of this camera helps to spot tooth defects such as small fractures, decay, and faulty old fillings so treatment can begin before something more serious occurs to the tooth. As a diagnostic and educational tool, the intraoral camera is an invaluable part of a modern dentist's initial and follow-up exams. I have found the cameras indispensable and have one in every treatment room.

Digital radiography (digital x-ray) is the latest technology used to take dental x-rays.  This technique uses an electronic sensor (instead of x-ray film) that captures and stores the digital image on a computer.  This image can be instantly viewed and enlarged helping the dentist and dental hygienist detect problems easier.  Digital x-rays reduce radiation 80-90% compared to the already low exposure of traditional dental x-rays.

Dental x-rays are essential, preventative, diagnostic tools that provide valuable information not visible during a regular dental exam.  Dentists and dental hygienists use this information to safely and accurately detect hidden dental abnormalities and complete an accurate treatment plan.  Without x-rays, problem areas may go undetected.

New Composite Materials:

In addition, the mercury in the silver fillings expands and contracts when we eat hot and cold foods, causing the larger fillings to crack the teeth. In dentistry, we used to have a saying that every large silver filling grows up to be a crown, but it doesn't have to be that way anymore. Although some dentists still use the same silver filling material which was used fifty years ago, better alternatives are now available.
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Similarly, if a larger defect is present on the tooth, we no longer have to grind down the whole tooth and put a crown (cap) on it. Since our adhesive materials work so well, we can now place on onlay on the tooth instead .  In over 50% of the cases that used to need a crown, we can now save most of the natural tooth with an inlay or an onlay