We are very proud to be the ONLY Michigan facility with the technology and in house capabilities to perform complex dental implant procedures from start to finish using a full digital workflow. By deploying all this technology at the disposal of our treatment team, we are able to provide high quality and predictable treatment outcomes and provide our patients with solutions that were not possible a few years ago. Here is a list of key high tech equipment with a brief explanation on how it helps us plan your case and reach our treatment goals.
Our dental CT scan machine, also known as CBCT machine provides us with the ability to visualize the patient’s anatomical structures in 3 dimensions. Unlike conventional x rays which only show two dimensions, the CT images add a whole new dimension to our diagnostic capabilities. We can clearly assess and measure available bone in all dimensions such as length, width, and depth. Moreover, the data from the CT imaging, can be transferred to other programs that aid in planning and designing of the treatment plan. We can perform virtual surgery and place implants on the computer using the exact implants we plan to use.
If you had any dental procedure other than fillings or cleaning, you most likely had to have an impression made of your teeth. Traditionally, the dentist needs to insert a tray full of impression material (the gooey stuff) into your mouth and wait until it sets. The impression is later poured in stone at the lab and a dental mold is made. This mold is a replica of your teeth. The impression is then shipped to the lab where the mold has to be scanned “ digitized” in order to make dental restorations. With the intra-oral scanner, we can capture a digital images of your teeth and gums which are then reconstructed into a 3-d model of your teeth. The 3-d model file can then be instantly transferred to the lab. In our case, it is transferred to our in-house dental laboratory.
The CT scan helps us visualize the bone and the intra oral scan gives us a digital model of the teeth and gums. To put it all together, we add 3-D scan of the face using our Face Hunter 3-D camera so we complete the digitization process of the patient. A smile is an essential part of the face and it is not possible to do proper smile analysis and design without proper imaging of the face.
This is where the rubber meets the road. In order to transition from the digital computer environment to reality, we need to produce real parts and prototypes. Our high-speed-high-precision 3-D printer allows us to produce temporaries and prototypes in as little as 30 minutes. A wide variety of FDA cleared materials are available for different applications.