Uvalde Dental Logo

Location

(830) 278-2549

Make Appt

Our Technology

We use a variety of technology pieces for the highest quality dental care for our patients. We encourage you to learn more about what we provide and how we can help. If you have any questions, please contact us by calling (830) 278-2549. We're always happy to hear from you!

Sedation

What if you could have all your dentistry that you have been putting off for years in the conventional dental office in one or two comfortable visits? What if you could finally receive all of the treatment while sleeping- free of fear and pain?

We specialize in Sedation Dentistry and Sleep Dentistry, treating people with dental phobias and anxieties We offer different types of sedation dentistry. These include administering oral sedation, a pill, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), and intravenous sedation to deliver a combination of drugs. All this depends on the needs of the patient.

In this way the patient and the dentist are comfortable providing and receiving the best possible dental care-safe, and free of stress and pain.

What is Sedation Dentistry or Sleep Dentistry?

The patient is given oral medication about one hour before your appointment. The medicine puts you in a light state of sedation and you sleep thru your dental appointment. It is Safe! When you awaken your dental treatment is completed.

You need someone to drive you to and from your appointment. Once you arrive, you are allowed to rest comfortably in a warm, quiet room under a cozy blanket. During the entire time you are here, we will closely monitor you to ensure your safety.

Complex dental treatments that often require six or more appointments can be done in as little as one! All while you sleep.

Panorex

A panorex is a very impressive piece of imaging machinery in that it is capable of identifying many issues and structures that a normal x-ray is not. Initially you will sit in a chair with your chin on a small ledge. Once positioned in the machine, it will rotate around your entire head taking a full 360 degree view of the teeth, head, sinuses and bones.

The ability to view the full structure of your head as a whole is very informative to the dentist. It will allow us to see any potential problems and make sure that everything is functioning as it should be. The panorex is capable of viewing specific types of structural problems, infections or asymmetry among many others.

Intraoral Camera

The intraoral camera is an amazing diagnostic tool for viewing different angles in the mouth that we would not have been able to just a few years ago. The camera gives us the ability to view the entire mouth on a monitor so that we can get a closer look at any potential issues or problems that may arise. In addition, the patient will have the ability to see for themselves first hand the same images we are seeing. These digital images are also excellent for gaining procedure acceptance from insurance companies.

Electric Handpieces

There are basically two types of handpieces, air-driven and electric. Electric handpieces are much stronger than air-driven due to the fact that a motor is spinning the bur as opposed to air. This allows the doctor to remove decay at a faster pace. This will cut down on the time it takes to complete a procedure.

Rotary Endodontics

Endodontics, more commonly known as root canal, is a procedure where the roots or nerves of the tooth are removed. This is often due to the fact that they are infected and the tooth is causing pain.

Rotary Endodontics is a way of performing the root canal utilizing a specific electrical handpiece. This tool often makes the process faster and allows the dentist to perform the process with greater ease.

I-CAT

I-CAT Cone Beam 3-D Dental Imaging System

The current emerging standard of care in dentistry and dental implantology is the use of three dimensional x-ray studies. The 3-D images allow the doctor to collect the needed and highly valuable diagnostic information so they can best plan and deliver dental and surgical care.

i-CAT Cone Beam 3D Imaging provides three-dimensional imaging to the dental community, right in the practice office. The system offers active sagittal, coronal, and axial viewing and manipulation. It enhances diagnosis and treatment planning by providing more accurate imaging. Using the 3-D mapping tool, dental professionals can easily format and select desired slices for immediate viewing. Cone Beam imaging delivers quicker and easier image acquisition a typical scan takes only 20 seconds.

The patient benefits from less radiation as well as the comfortable, open environment. Aside from the physical comfort of this system, the doctor can share a visual diagnosis with patients, making them more comfortable with their treatment plan and actively participate in their care. The speed of the scan and the immediate results allows the doctor and patient to better communicate the aspects of a case.

Benefits of Using the i-CAT Compared to traditional CT scans:

  • Offers advanced imaging within the practice
  • Allows doctors to visualize anatomy that can not be diagnosed externally or in 2 dimensional images.
  • Safer - delivers less radiation to the patient than traditional CT scans.
  • Open environment ensures patient comfort.
  • Thorough diagnostic information (optimum view of the critical anatomy of all oral and maxillofacial structures.)
  • More accurate treatment planning - confirm certain treatments are necessary.
  • More predictable treatment outcomes.
  • Reduces the length and cost of therapy
  • Delivers quicker and easier image acquisition - typical scan takes only 20 seconds.

The i-CAT is fully open and has a short image capture time. Scan images are ready for use in less than 3 minutes and can be emailed, placed on a CD, or printed in full color for your use by the general dentist.

The diagnostic images from the i-CAT scanner can be easily converted into a third party software (i.e. Simplant, Nobel guide, Dolphin, etc.) for pre-surgical evaluation and computer guided surgery. The doctor will receive a viewable animation to help him measure and analyze your case from every aspect. The data can also be used to fabricate your surgical guides.

Oral Cancer Screenings

Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for the patient. With the advances in modern technology, we are now able to pinpoint the start of a potential problem much earlier in its evolution. The ability to do so is extremely important in being able to treat any issues prior to them becoming a major irreversible problem.

The oral cancer screening is often completed with an ultraviolet light or similar device that allows us to view issues that can't always be detected by the human eye under normal conditions.

Certain lifestyle choices can have a great impact on the health of tissues and your overall health in the mouth. If you are a smoker or heavy drinker, make sure to get regular screenings when you visit the dentist.

Digital X-Ray

Digital x-rays are quickly becoming adopted by a large percentage of the dental industry. A digital x-ray allows the dentist to take an image of the tooth or teeth and put it into an imaging program. Within this imaging program, there are a number of tools that will allow the dentist to take a very close look at the teeth and surrounding structures with amazing accuracy. As a benefit to the patient, the digital x-ray also provides nearly 80% less radiation than a standard x-ray. This is due to the fact that the digital version of the x-ray is much more sensitive to this radiation and has been specifically designed with the patient in mind.