You may be surprised to know that the significant progress in dental diagnostic and imaging technology made over the years has resulted in some of the most important advances in the history of modern dentistry – advances that directly benefit patients. The fact is that precision, accuracy, and efficiency in the beginning stages of dental care are critical to ensure you get the best possible treatment and to reduce the risk of complications or unsatisfactory results. Utilizing some of the best available imaging technology here at Fulbright Cosmetic & Reconstructive Dentistry can go a long way toward achieving that goal.
Our practice recently added the GALILEOS® ComfortPLUS system to our selection of state-of-the-art dental technology. It’s a CT Scan that takes a 3-Dimensional picture of pretty much your entire skull from the neck up. It will be used to scan most patients in order to diagnose dental issues in an extraordinarily clear and precise way. This technology will also be particularly helpful when I plan dental implant surgeries: I can take the CT-Scan data and merge it with planning software, which ultimately allows me to take a virtual implant and click and drag it to where the missing tooth is. Using this intricate, digitized planning method, I can create an exceptionally detailed plan for the placement of the actual implant. With the combination of the GALILEOS® 3-D scan and advanced dental implant planning software, I’m able to pick the right length and the right angle for placement to significantly reduce the risk of hitting any nerves, sinuses, or other vital structures while placing the implant. I can then take that data and merge it with other software through the lab. The lab can mill a surgical guide, which can then snap over the patient’s teeth. The guide has a hole and a small metal sleeve where the missing tooth is, which makes it possible for me to drill directly into the sleeve with the implant. The sleeve allows me to place the implant at exactly the same angle and the same depth as the virtual “treatment” that I performed in the planning stage.
Ultimately, the GALILEOS® images combined with other advanced technology at our practice allows for a faster, more efficient, and much safer dental implant surgery. This is especially beneficial for patients who need multiple dental implants as it can significantly speed up the treatment process.
The GALILEOS® can also be very advantageous for patients who may be suffering from sleep apnea. The 3-D image shows me the patient’s airway, allowing me to determine whether the airway is constricted. It serves as another tool of communication with patients – I can show them their own airway and talk to them about any constriction that I see. If the airway is constricted, I can recommend tests to confirm it, which can ultimately let the patient know if they are suffering from sleep apnea. The GALILEOS® creates a very, very thorough image and it is good for all types of dental issues, including those that require endodontics (root canal therapy).
We are very happy to bring this advanced technology to our practice. It’s one more way the team here at Fulbright Cosmetic & Reconstructive Dentistry strives to make your treatment process as accurate, comfortable, and fast as possible!
Please contact us today for more information about the treatments available at our practice, or to schedule an appointment.