Technology at Pier Dental Centre

Digital X-rays

Our digital x-rays are more comfortable and accurate than conventional xrays. Our X-rays use up to 90% less radiation than standard film based X-rays. Digital X-rays allow the doctor and patient to examine small details like the beginning stages of cavities or early bone loss which allows the patient to better understand the diagnosis and treatment recommended. Along with the C.A.D.I. software system installed on our computers, educating our patients is also made much easier.

Laser Dentistry

Compared to conventional surgical treatment with a scalpel, the use of a dental laser eliminates many common side-effects. When using dental lasers, patients require less anesthesia, bleeding is minimized, swelling is controlled and there is little post-operative discomfort, if any. At Pier Dental Centre, we use a model that utilized dentistry’s two best laser wavelengths (Er:YAG and Nd:YAG) in a single package offering the ultimate in power and flexibility.

Periodontal treatment with Lasers – to help treat periodontal disease and related bacterial infections, Dr. Cegielski and his staff have developed highly effective nonsurgical treatments to help patients combat periodontal (“gum”) disease utilizing tissue diode lasers and novel clinical protocols. As part of a periodontal treatment program, these tissue diode lasers are used to perform sulcular debridement and gingival curettage which not only kill the bacteria present inside the gum pockets, but also remove diseased necrotic tissue and help to stimulate tissue repair. This allows the supporting structures of your teeth, gums and supporting bone to be restored and return to normal health and function.

Surgical Laser Procedures – Our lasers can also be utilized to perform a wide variety of minor laser surgical procedures including gum recontouring, excisional biopsies, gingivectomy and gingivoplasty. It can also be used for more extensive surgical procedures including flap surgery, crown lengthening, bone recontouring, and even removing decay by preparing tooth enamel.

Neuromuscular Dentistry (TENS)

Neuromuscular dentists recognize that relief from most occlusal related head and neck pain begins with true relaxation of the muscles through the use of TENS. TENS is a widely used term, but as used in neuromuscular dentistry, it is more properly called ultra-low frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation. This safe, battery operated device delivers a mild electrical stimulus to the muscles via neural pathways. The TENS stimulus induces involuntary contraction of the facial and neck muscles forcing the metabolites and lactic acid (which are responsible for the muscle spasm and pain) away from the muscles into the bloodstream.

The muscles of the face and neck are often propriocepted (“programmed”) to control head and mandibular posture in a way that accommodates habitual occlusion (“normal bite”). Even if this occlusion is less than ideal. This is an accommodative response of the muscle to noxious stimuli such as occlusal interference. The use of TENS is to relax these often tense muscles in order to find their true resting state and establish an idealocclusion at that position. It is extremely difficult to voluntarily overcome this proprioception, hence why a TENS is used.

Electronic Patient Charts

Pier Dental Centre is completely electronically enabled which means all patient files including all digital images, pictures and chart notations are created, stored and updated electronically so that patients have a true electronic dental record. The advantages of this approach are as follows:

• Electronic notations are more accurate and can never be erased or lost. Any and all chart notations including patient’s medical history, treatment plan and record of treatment are readily available, easily accessed and can be stored in various formats.
• The files can be readily sent to or received by other offices in case the patient needs to be referred for treatment or has decided to move.
• Superior image quality and image modifications offers increased diagnostic capabilities.
• Paper documentation can be digitally scanned into the patient’s electronic chart in a matter of seconds
• Less paper is wasted so this approach is much more environmentally friendly

Pulse Oximetry Oral Sedation Equipment

Some of our patients require longer appointments due to their specific treatment plan. For these types of appointments, or for patients who are apprehensive about dental treatment, we offer sedation. Since patient safety and comfort are our two primary concerns in our office, we choose to monitor the vital signs of every patient we consciously (or intravenously) sedate. We do this by utilizing a pulse oximetry unit which measures the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood along with the patient’s blood pressure, respiration and heart rate. A digital print out of this data is placed into the electronic chart of every patient who undergoes sedation in our office.

K7 – Computerized Diagnostic Jaw Tracking Equipment

The K7 jaw tracking equipment assists in diagnosing and treating a bad bite. It helps measure the movements of the temporomandibular joints and the trajectory at which your mandibular teeth hit your maxillary teeth. It also measures the muscle activity involved with mastication (chewing), giving us the objective data needed to determine where the best place “in space” is to put the teeth together.