While many dental offices have yet to incorporate digital radiography, we have always strived to stay at the forefront of technology. In this spirit, our offices have been using Computerized Digital Radiography since its introduction in the early 1990’s. Digital radiographs provide instant images, so there is no waiting for conventional processing. This allows our doctors and team members to spend more time with you discussing your dental needs, instead of waiting for the film to be developed. The digital x-ray is stored in a computer record and can be infinitely viewed or printed at any time. Digital images do not deteriorate over time and can be stored indefinitely without loss of quality. Your x-rays can be sent to your referring dentist, your insurance company or another specialist if necessary via email. All single tooth x-rays, as well as panoramic and three dimensional images taken in our office utilize digital sensors, which are 10-20 times more sensitive than conventional film. In this manner, radiation exposure to the patient is dramatically reduced (up to 90% over film based systems). Digital radiographs offer many other advantages to conventional, film based techniques. Digital images can be easily magnified and manipulated on a computer to improve detection of subtle changes in the radiographs. Since they can be colored, enhanced and magnified, it is also easier for us to show patients what we are seeing. Digital technology is better for our environment. Using the digital system eliminates lead backings used on film and the hazardous chemical wastes created from processing of conventional xrays.

     FLIPDI has been using 3-dimensional dental imaging since 2005. This cutting edge 3D imaging technology, better known as Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), is an x-ray imaging approach that provides high resolution 3-dimensional images of the jaws and teeth. CBCT images provide invaluable information that is not contained in conventional 2-dimensional x-rays or panoramic images. It also creates a much higher margin of safety when planning for implants or surgery around vital anatomic structures, such as the jaw nerve and sinuses. Clear advantages of CBCT are its rapid imaging time and its much lower radiation dose compared to medical CT, ensuring that radiation exposure is kept to a minimum. The CBCT scan produces 10x less radiation than a mammogram or chest x-ray and up to 100x less radiation than a medical CT, making it a safe and invaluable surgical diagnostic tool. If you have questions or concerns about CBCT scans or 3D imaging, please contact our office.

     The regeneration of bone and periodontal tissues is vital to the success of gum therapy and implant procedures. Historically, surgeons have encountered significant challenges regenerating lost tissues in a contaminated oral environment. Recently, biotechnological innovations have greatly increased the predictability with which we can regenerate hard and soft tissues. These advances came mainly thru adjunctive use of growth factor preparations during grafting surgery. At FLIPDI, we have been utilizing the newest advances in growth factor therapy for the better part of a decade. These include regenerative products such as Gem 21S and Infuse (bone grafting materials that use recombinant, or lab made, growth factors), as well as growth factor matrices that are derived from the patient’s own blood. The latter include Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF), and Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF). In order to harvest these autologous growth factors, small volumes of blood are drawn from the patient at the time of surgery, and the whole blood is spun down. This allows for the harvesting of the plasma layers of the blood that are rich in growth factors. Adding these growth factor rich matrices to the surgical site or bone graft greatly enhances healing, promoting speedier soft tissue closure and therefore increasing the predictability and success of the bone/soft tissue regeneration or repair around teeth and implants. If you have any questions about treatment using growth factors or would like to find out if you are a candidate and can benefit from this treatment, please contact our office today to schedule an appointment.

The use of dental lasers in periodontal therapy can be subdivided into two categories:

• Diode Soft Tissue Lasers used for gingival biopsies, gingivoplasty (trimming of the gum tissues) and frenectomies
• Yerbium-based lasers used for treatment of periodontally diseased teeth (pockets)

    Laser assisted gingivoplasty and frenectomies have been universally accepted procedures for the past two decades. The procedure is minimally invasive and in some cases may not require numbing by injections. The use of a laser also minimizes bleeding and often prevents the need for stitches. The use of lasers for the treatment of periodontal disease is a newer, more controversial treatment modality. In this form of therapy, a laser is used instead of traditional incisions and flap elevation for the treatment of gum pockets. This therapy, also known as LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure), has received broad media attention because of marketing by laser manufacturers and clinicians who have purchased the $80,000 lasers. The media and internet are laden with claims that LANAP is a superior and painless alternative to traditional surgical gum therapy. While we pride ourselves in using the latest technological innovations, the doctors at FLIPDI feel we have a greater responsibility to our patients in using only scientifically proven therapeutic modalities. Though we feel the research in this field has promise, and that lasers may be a beneficial adjunct to traditional therapy, we believe at this time there is insufficient evidence that LANAP is superior to traditional therapy in anything other than its marketing potential. This view is supported by the American Academy of Periodontology in their latest Consensus Paper (www.perio.org). We will continue to review available literature, and implement the technology as soon as we believe sufficient evidence exists to support this form of therapy. In the meantime, we encourage patients to perform due diligence before commiting to such procedures, particularly under the care of a non-specialist.