Advanced Technology

At SD Oral, Facial, and Implant Surgery we are committed to using the latest dental technology to provide you with the highest possible level of care. We are constantly striving to update our office with the newest equipment and surgical techniques to better serve our patients. We believe it is important for our practice to evolve side-by-side with the latest technological advancements. 

3D Cone Beam Imaging 

We use cone beam (CBCT) technology to acquire a 3-dimensional (3D) image of your teeth, jaws, skull, and temporomandibular joints (TMJ). This technology allows us to obtain a similar image to a medical CT scan, but with significantly less radiation exposure, in less time, and at a much lower cost. The major advantage of a CBCT is that it provides your surgeon with a more detailed and comprehensive image than that provided by a routine dental x-ray. 

We use a CBCT scan to: 

• Plan precise implant placement

• Visualize vital structures of the upper and lower jaw such as the sinuses and nerves

• Evaluate bone pathology such as cysts and tumors

• Diagnose cavities and dental infections

• Identify disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

Guided Implant Surgery 

When treatment planning dental implant treatment, your CBCT scan and intraoral dental impressions are used to generate a virtual representation of your jaw and oral anatomy. This data is used to fabricate a surgical guide which helps your surgeon place implants in the perfect position and angulation relative to adjacent teeth and vital structures. Implant positioning plays an important role in minimizing the possibility of surgical complications, as well as enhancing esthetic outcomes. Although a guide is not always necessary, the superior level of accuracy afforded by this approach makes it an ideal adjunct in situations where there are concerns related to bone volume, proximity to vital structures (ex. sinuses, inferior alveolar nerve, adjacent teeth), and where esthetics are of utmost importance.