Panoramic x-rays offer patients a complete detailed image of the entire mouth including the teeth, jaw (upper and lower), sinuses, and TMJ.
It provides a complete picture on how everything looks and relates to each other.
Our office uses the latest in digital x-ray technology. Digital x-rays offer a detailed image of your entire mouth and also deliver 90% less radiation than traditional film x-rays. X-rays play an invaluable role in the diagnosis of periodontal problems as well as provide a clear picture for Dr. to accurately diagnose the problem and provide clear treatment regiments.
We place a small sensor in your mouth and then an x-ray beam is sent through your teeth and bone and onto the sensor, which records the image of your teeth and bone and sends it to the computer. The sensor can then be repositioned to capture images of other sections of your teeth and bones. The digital dental x-ray system is more sensitive than dental x-ray film systems so your exposure to x-rays is cut by 90%.
The large enhanced images that you see are what Dr. sees, so it is easier for you to understand how they will treat your teeth and bones. Your periodontal checkups take less time and it is fun to watch the system work. Most patients are amazed.
Platelet rich plasma (PRP), a by-product of blood (plasma), is rich in platelets. PRP permits the body to take advantage of the normal healing pathways at a greatly accelerated rate. During the healing process, the body rushes many cells and cell-types to the wound in order to initiate the healing process. One of those cell types is platelets. Platelets perform many functions, including formation of a blood clot and release of growth factors into the wound. These growth factors function is to assist the body in repairing itself by stimulating stem cells to regenerate new tissue. The more growth factors released into the wound, the faster the healing. PRP promotes healing in bone grafting for dental implants, onlay and inlay grafts, sinus lift procedures, ridge augmentation procedures, and closure of cleft, lip, palate defects, repair of bone defects creating by removal of teeth or small cysts, and the repair of fistulas between the sinus cavity and mouth. This is of great significance to the surgeon who places dental implants. By adding PRP your implant surgeon can now grow bone more predictably and faster than ever before.
Advantages of PRP
1. PRP is a by-product of the patient's own blood; therefore, disease transmission is not an issue.
2. PRP can be generated in the convenience of your doctor's office as a outpatient surgical procedure.
3. PRP promotes faster tissue regeneration.
4. Since PRP harvesting is done with only 55cc of blood in the doctor's office, the patient need not incur the expense of the harvesting procedure in hospital or at the blood bank.
Frequently Asked Questions PRP
Q: Is PRP safe?
A: Yes. During the outpatient surgical procedure a small amount of your own blood is drawn out via the IV. This blood is then placed in the PRP centrifuge machine and spun down. In less than 15 minutes, the PRP is formed and ready to use.
Q: Is PRP be used in all bone grafting cases?
A: Not necessarily, however, as with most cases the application of PRP to a graft will increase the final amount of bone present in addition to making the wound heal faster and more efficiently.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: The cost of a PRP application is approximately $600. Unfortunately most insurance plans do not cover PRP and the expensive is paid by the patient.
We use a powerful autoclave to sterilize equipment and dental instruments. This helps to safeguard against germs and contamination.
