Technology

There was a time that a visit to the dentist was uncomfortable, long, and painful. Thankfully those days are gone and the memories are fading away. New technology has improved a trip to the dentist's office dramatically. At Trail Ridge Dental, LLC, Dr. Visger and his staff are pleased to offer the residents of Longmont and Johnstown, CO pleasant dental experiences through the use of modern technology.


CEREC® MACHINE
This modern marvel specifically saves you a lot of time and money. Porcelain crowns and other custom-made restorations used to take weeks to be delivered. Through the use of the CEREC® machine, these same treatments can be ready in a day or two. The CEREC® machine is used to take 3D computer images of your mouth and teeth. The results are used immediately on site to fabricate your custom restorations. Because no messy impressions are made of your teeth, you will be in the dentist's chair only a short amount of time. Less time in the chair equals less discomfort and less expense. The overall dental experience is much more pleasant with a CEREC® machine.


DIGITAL X-RAYS
X-Rays used to take a long time. The pictures were taken, and then you had to wait for them to be developed. Many times, after they were developed the dentist would realize that he did not have the angle that he needed. The lengthy process would need to be repeated. More x-rays meant more money. The end result was that patients did not always get treatment based on the most accurate information.

Today, digital x-rays can be taken and processed almost immediately. If there is a need for another angle, the process is quick and cheap. The images are more accurate. Digital x-rays also expose the patient to less radiation than traditional x-rays. In the end, you spend less time waiting, you save more money, and your treatment is based on very accurate information.


INTRA-ORAL CAMERAS
Back when cameras were larger, no one could imagine having one placed inside of your mouth to take a picture for the dentist. However, intra-oral cameras are not regularly used to photograph the inside of a patient's mouth. These technologically-advanced cameras can magnify the patient's teeth as much as twenty-five times. This is very helpful in revealing bad fillings, tooth decay, plaque deposits, and worn teeth. Not only can these images help your dentist diagnose problems in the earliest stages, they can also help him map out a course of action to confront the problems. The pictures are also used at times to prove the need for treatment to insurance companies.


ITERO SCANNING UNIT
This scanning machine can take incredibly accurate pictures of your teeth. A special camera is used to take the images. The images are transferred to a computer to be displayed digitally. The camera is small and will not cause you any discomfort. This unit is used primarily to monitor the ongoing progress during the use of Invisalign braces. However, the iTero scanning unit can also be used to make impressions to custom-make unique crowns, inlays/onlays, dentures, bridges, and mouth guards. The iTero unit is another important piece of technology equipment employed by Dr. Visger at Trail Ridge Dental.