DENTAL TECHNOLOGY

Technology

At Bostick Dental Center, we recognize that your dental experience is most affected by your level of comfort and safety. Our team makes use of the latest technological advances in dental equipment and techniques, ensuring that you are satisfied with your visit. These modern instruments and procedures not only help keep you comfortable, but also improve your overall oral health!

Optisleep (sleep apnea)

Snoring and sleep apnea can interfere with you and your partner’s sleeping habits, causing you to be irritable and fatigued during the day and increasing your risk of suffering from a wide range of health problems. If you’re struggling with the effects of snoring or mild to moderate sleep apnea, Optisleep may be a great treatment option for you; it’s even recommended for patients who suffer from more severe obstructive sleep apnea but are unable or unwilling to undergo treatment using a CPAP machine or surgery.

Optisleep is an oral appliance that you wear at night to move the jaw forward and hold it in an ideal position to keep your upper airway open. This position relaxes the tissue at the back of your throat and prevents the base of your tongue blocking your airway, allowing you to breathe—and sleep—easily throughout the night. While this may sound uncomfortable, the appliance is designed with comfort in mind to ensure that you’re able to fall asleep easily when you’re wearing it. Not only is it custom-made for you, but it has a slim design and doesn’t hold your jaw in an unnatural position. Because of the way that it’s designed, you can still open and close your mouth comfortably while you’re wearing it.

Optisleep uses digital imaging technology instead of traditional putty to take a scan of your teeth. The digital scan is taken quickly and easily with a wand about the size of an electric toothbrush, and the resulting image of your teeth is much more accurate than the impression that putty creates. This makes the fitting process easy and comfortable and ensures that the appliance fits you perfectly for maximum comfort. The advanced technology that goes into Optisleep is shown best in the results that it provides for patients—in a survey, 90% of patients reported that the appliance reduces their snoring and apneas, 84% said it improves their quality of sleep, and 76% said that it reduced their symptoms of daytime fatigue. If you’ve struggled to find a treatment that works for your sleep apnea, Optisleep can help you get a full, rejuvenating night of sleep again.

Conebeam CT  

Conebeam CT is a type of X-ray machine that dentists use when they need a more detailed image than traditional X-ray machines are capable of producing. While traditional X-rays produce a flat, 2D image of your teeth and jaws, a Conebeam CT emits a cone-shaped beam and rotates around you to produce a 3D image of your teeth, jaws, ears, nose, neck, and throat. While it isn’t the same as traditional CT imaging, the Conebeam CT produces similar results, giving Dr. Bostick a look at the soft tissues and nerves in these areas as well as the bone and dental structures. It doesn’t capture the level of detail in soft tissues and nerves that traditional CT imaging can, but the image produced is still high-quality and provides all the information that Dr. Bostick needs to diagnose or treat you.

This technology has a wide range of potential uses, allowing Dr. Bostick to evaluate your teeth and jaw, look for abnormal or impacted teeth, diagnose diseases in bone, cavities, or infections in the tooth roots, or plan procedures such as the placement of dental implants. 

Any time you’re receiving an X-ray, whether it’s a traditional X-ray or a Conebeam CT, you should always let Dr. Bostick know if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding beforehand. We do not recommend X-rays for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.

CEREC

Enjoy the latest technological innovations at Bostick Dental Center. CEREC is an exciting new technology that gives Dr. Bostick invaluable tools for designing and fabricating a number of materials to improve your dental health.

The CEREC system aids in the step-by-step creation of inlays/onlays, crowns, veneers, and more ― all on-site at our office. The precision and efficiency of this technology means better tools at our disposal, better results for your oral health, and faster treatment. With the help of your dentist, you will have the dazzling smile you always wanted in even less time.

Intraoral Camera

You see what your dentist sees! By using an intraoral camera, you will have a greater understanding of your oral health and of the treatments that your dentist is prescribing for you. The use of this technology goes a long way in educating our patients about their oral health while lessening any feelings of anxiety that some patients may feel when visiting the dentist.

Biolase

The Biolase water laser and the Biolase gum laser are two examples of advanced technology that ensure effective, fast treatment for patients like you. Lasers are extremely gentle devices that allow for faster healing and little to no post treatment discomfort. You may experience the benefits of Biolase technology during treatments for gum disease, cavities, and biopsies, as well as during delicate procedures like cosmetic gum lifts. Your smile will look fantastic, and you will be amazed at the comfort you experienced during your time with us!

Digital Photography

Digital photography gives Drs. Bostick and Boyd instant images to use for cosmetic imaging or to keep on file to track your progress. Digital images can be saved electronically and are more efficient than traditional photographs which show less detail and which must be taken off-site for development.

Digital Radiographs (X-rays)

Digital radiographs (X-rays) are a technological advancement that result in less exposure to radiation for our patients and in an almost instantaneous picture for our dentists. Unlike traditional, film-based X-rays, digital X-rays often show more detail and can be archived in our system for future reference and comparison. You will appreciate a more comfortable visit with less waiting time and quicker treatment.