Experience 21st Century Dentistry in Alexandria!
21st-century Crowns
Dentists have been making crowns and bridges for over 150 years. When teeth would break or be lost, crowns or bridges were made with gold from the 1800s up until the 1950s. Dentists then discovered how to bake tooth-colored porcelain onto the metal so it had a tooth-like color. These crowns often had a darkness along the gum tissue where the metal showed through. In the last few years, metal free tooth-colored zirconia crowns and bridges were developed. These non-metal tooth restorations are beautiful, strong, durable, biocompatible, and very kind to the other teeth in the mouth. We use the highest quality digitally designed and milled Bruxzir zirconia crowns and bridges in our office.
21st-century Diagnostic tools
Dentists have always used the pick and mirror as well as high radiation x-rays to see decay, fractured teeth, gum disease, and other pathology. In the last few years many new tools have been developed which let us see decay earlier, cancer earlier, and gum disease earlier. And early treatment is always less invasive, and less expensive. Our dental office uses:
Diagnodent laser examination of the grooves and pits on the biting surface of the teeth, allowing us to see inside your tooth and catch decay in its earliest stages.
Cari-vu infra-red light transillumination (radiation-free) to see between the teeth for decay starting on the sides of the teeth. This technology may also confirm decay seen in x-rays or it may show that x-ray detected decay is not really there.
Digital low dose x-rays as a way to see bone level, gum tissue health, cancer, and decay.
Digital panograph x-rays to get a full survey of all teeth (including wisdom teeth) and supporting structures for orthodontic evaluation and cancer screening.
Cone beam digital 3-dimensional x-ray evaluation for endodontics, cancer evaluation, surgical evaluations and implants.
The intraoral camera is a very small wand that can give us a view inside your mouth that is not seen any other way.
21st-century conservative veneers
In the past when we wanted to cover a front tooth or several teeth we needed to grind them down to a little stub to make room for the shell crown that would replace the missing tooth structure. Today because of advances in bonding in our office we are able to bond extremely thin (half millimeter thick) veneers on just the fronts of front teeth to change color, shape, alignment, and size and enhance any smile, permanently. In some situations we can do this without removing any tooth structure at all and without any needle, numbness, or damage to the teeth. At other times if there is decay, old fillings or chipped or missing parts we remove only the problem areas and leave all the sound tooth structure intact.
21st-century Laser
Since the 1960s when lasers were invented people have tried to use them in dentistry because of their accuracy and power. In 2016 the first laser that could actually replace the drill was invented. After extensive trials and testing the Solea laser went on the market. Early in 2018, Dr. Anderson went for training and now offers the “no needles, no novocaine, no drill” decay removal and filling system fit for the 21st-century.
21st-century communications
Our office will communicate with you in any or all of the digital modes as well as good old fashioned snail mail, and land-line phone. We offer online bill payment, text and email communications, email request for appointments and auto text reminders of upcoming appointments. We know your days are busy and we want to keep in touch in the most convenient way for you.
21at -century Periodontal care (Gum care)
Periodontal disease is now linked to cholesterol buildup in your arteries leading to heart attack and stroke, as well as diabetes, pregnancy issues, and possibly Alzheimers dementia and other inflammatory mediated diseases of the whole body. We know that reducing gum disease always makes your whole body healthier. Periodontal disease has been one of the more difficult infections to treat. Our office uses laser therapy along with localized antibiotic therapy and ultrasonic treatment to help eradicate the gum disease bacteria. These additional therapies can improve your total body health as well as preserve bone around your teeth.
21st -century Healthy advice.
Breathing, airway, and mouth posture are being recognized now as significant health issues. In dentistry, we are becoming concerned about these issues because we are learning that in children from birth to age 15 the tongue posture and breathing affect growth and development and orthodontic needs. Breathing and airway can also be a factor in TMJ and TMD, jaw joint disease and pain including chronic headaches. Mouth breathing can also cause excess plaque buildup on teeth and unique bacterial content, leading to gum disease and decay as well as dry mouth discomfort.
Posture and head and neck position can have a profound effect on growth and development and orthodontic and TMJ needs as well. We can recognize and make suggestions to help you be more healthy.
Elimination of periodontal disease (gum disease) and bleeding gums can have a significant impact on cholesterol buildup in your arteries leading to heart attacks and strokes. Evidence is now mounting that some gum disease bacteria or bacterial fragments may even enter the brain and be part of the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease progression. We also know that Diabetes is affected by the health of your gums and the A-1c inflammatory marker can be elevated in the presence of gum disease. The mouth plays a significant roll on our overall health and in the 21st-century we are starting to put all the pieces together. We are committed to keeping our patients informed of these developments.