Advanced Technology

Precision Dentistry

When you seek care at our office, you are assured that Drs. Lankford, Sierra, and their staff utilize the latest technology to enhance the quality of your care, ensure accurate diagnosis, and provide optimal results at every appointment.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT)

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a type of imaging that uses a single, cone-shaped beam rotating around the head to capture images from various angles. This information is then processed and reconstructed to create a highly detailed, 3D image of the area scanned. The process takes less than a minute, with the machine rotating around the patient.

The 3D dimensional views produced show not only your teeth, but the jawbone, nerves, soft tissues, sinuses, and surrounding structures. This added detail allows us to diagnose and create treatment plans with greater accuracy and precision. CBCT scans use significantly less radiation than traditional X-rays, making them safer for our patients.

Intraoral Camera

Drs. Lankford and Sierra utilize Intraoral Camera technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An Intraoral Camera is a very small camera – in some cases, just a few millimeters long. An Intraoral Camera allows our practice to take and view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth and gums, in order for us to accurately make a diagnosis. With enlarged versions of these images, you see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations. This can mean faster diagnosis with less chair-time for you!

Intraoral cameras also enable our practice to save your images in our office computer to provide a permanent record of treatments. These images can be printed for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.

Digital Impressions

Digital impressions are taken with a small, intraoral scanner to create a virtual, three-dimensional model of the inside of the mouth. The 3D image is an incredibly precise representation and much more accurate than the impressions created with messy dental putty that you have to put in your mouth and bite down on. Digital impressions are more comfortable for patients and reduce the chance of error due to movement during traditional impressions. We use digital impressions in the fabrication of dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, and orthodontic appliances.

Most digital scans take between three and five minutes to take and are quickly processed by advanced software to create the 3D image required. We can show our patients the finished results of their scans and an image of the final restoration or appliance that will be created on the day of their appointment.

CEREC Technology

CEREC technology allows our office to digitally design and create high-quality dental restorations with greater efficiency and precision. Using digital impressions and advanced computer-aided design and manufacturing technology, we can design restorations such as crowns and other ceramic restorations to fit your individual needs.

With CEREC technology, many restorations can be designed and fabricated in our office rather than being sent to an outside dental laboratory. This can reduce treatment time and, in appropriate cases, allow patients to complete their treatment in fewer appointments. The digital workflow also allows our doctors to carefully evaluate the shape, fit, and appearance of your restoration throughout the process.

CEREC technology combines digital dentistry with advanced ceramic materials to create restorations that are designed to provide a natural appearance, comfortable fit, and long-lasting function.

Advanced AI Imaging

Our practice utilizes Pearl AI to enhance the evaluation of dental X-rays and support our doctors in identifying areas that may require further attention. Pearl’s artificial intelligence technology analyzes dental images and helps highlight potential findings, including cavities, bone levels, and other dental conditions.

AI technology serves as an additional tool for our doctors during the diagnostic process. It does not replace the experience or clinical judgment of our dental professionals. Instead, it provides an additional layer of information that can help our team evaluate images more efficiently and communicate findings more clearly with our patients.

By combining advanced AI imaging with our doctors’ clinical expertise, we can provide a more comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment planning while giving patients a clearer understanding of their oral health.

3D Printing

3D printing is an advanced technology that creates highly precise, three-dimensional objects from digital designs, building them layer by layer with incredible accuracy. 3D printing allows us to offer care that is both efficient and personalized.

We can use 3D printing to produce crowns, bridges, dentures, surgical guides, or orthodontic models. Instead of waiting weeks to receive lab-made restorations, many can be made in-house, eliminating the need to wait for an outside lab. This streamlines treatment and gives us greater control over the outcomes. Our patients appreciate being able to complete procedures more quickly and with fewer appointments. By utilizing 3D printing, we can provide high-quality, patient-specific solutions that enhance comfort, function, and appearance.