Advanced Technology

Precision Dentistry

When you seek care at our office, you are assured that Drs. Marwan Bassil, Manisha Singh, Stacey Goldstein, and Bruce Hirshorn and their staff utilize the latest in technology and materials to enhance the quality of your dental health.

For the most precise aspects of restorative procedures, we use electric hand-pieces. This results in extraordinarily precise interfaces between your tooth and your new restoration (crown, veneer, or filling). This will bring more comfort to you as well. With a more precise tool, there is less vibration and less noise.

Digital Imaging

There are two methods of digital imaging used by the staff of Bridgewater Family Dental—digital radiology(x-rays) and digital photography. Both of these digital images can be seen immediately by both the doctors and patient. Digital imaging allows us to store patient images, and enables us to quickly and easily transfer them to specialists or insurance companies.

Digital Radiology (x-rays)

Drs. Bassil, Patel, and Goldstein will choose carefully which and when radiographs are taken. There are many guidelines that are followed. In digital radiography the film is replaced by a sensor that delivers the image directly to the computer for immediate viewing.

Whether taken on film or a sensor, radiographs allow us to see areas that are not visible to the naked eye. Radiographs enable us to detect cavities in between your teeth, determine bone level, and analyze the health of your bone. We can also examine the roots and nerves of teeth, diagnose lesions such as cysts or tumors, as well as assess damage when trauma occurs. Dental radiographs are invaluable aids in diagnosing, treating, and maintaining dental health. Exposure time for digital radiographs is as low as possible to produce a diagnostic-quality image.

There are two types of photos utilized by Bridgewater Family Dental. A profile photo will be stored in your electronic record for identification purposes. Intra-oral photos are taken of teeth, gums, and other structures with a specialized miniature camera. Drs. Bassil, Patel, and Goldstein utilize intraoral camera technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An intraoral camera allows our doctors and patients to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth and gums, in order for us to accurately make a diagnosis. With clear, defined, enlarged images, you see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations.This can mean faster diagnosis with less chair-time for you!

Intra-oral cameras also enable our practice to save your images in our office computer to provide a permanent record of conditions. These images can be printed for you, other specialists, your lab or insurance company.

Laser Dentistry

Laser dentistry is one of dentistry’s latest advances. The laser delivers energy in the form of light. Depending on the intended result, this energy travels at different wavelengths and is absorbed by a “target.” In dentistry, these targets can be enamel, decay, gum tissue, or whitening enhancers. Each one absorbs a different wavelength of light while reflecting others.

Lasers can be used to diagnose cavities. North Star Dental Care uses a DiagnoDent diagnostic laser. The DiagnoDent can find hidden decay in teeth in early stages, and in some cases the decay can be reversed through hygiene and fluoride treatment and may never need filling. Should the lesion require a filling, the earlier the decay is found the smaller the filling that is needed!

Dental lasers can also be used for soft tissue (surgical) procedures where they eliminate the need for suturing, and healing is much faster.

Areas of dental care that benefit from laser technology:

• Periodontal, or gum related, care
• Apthous Ulcer treatment (canker sore)
• Frenectomy (tongue-tie release) without anesthesia or sutures
• Root canals and apicoectomies
• Crown lengthening, gingivectomy and other gum corrections

Dental lasers have been shown to be safe and effective for treating both children and adults.

VELscope

The VELscope system helps dental professionals visualize abnormalities in the mucosal tissues of your lips, mouth and upper throat. In just two minutes, with no rinses, stains or discomfort, a VELscope examination lets healthcare professionals improve their assessment of your overall oral health.

Make sure that your mouth is as healthy as it can possibly be. The next time you visit us, ask for a VELscope exam.

HOW DOES THE VELSCOPE WORK? The VELscope’s blue light “excites” molecules (called “fluorophores”) deep within the layers of oral mucosal tissues. In turn, those fluorophores emit their own light (fluorescence), in shades of green, yellow and red. The VELscope’s proprietary filter makes fluorescence visualization possible, by blocking reflected blue light, and by enhancing the contrast between normal and abnormal tissue.

One of the VELscope system’s most important tasks is to help identify areas that might, if not identified and treated, progress to oral cancer. The statistics below, from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER Database, 1999-2006, are a compelling argument for regular VELscope exams:

• Found early, while still Localized (confined to the primary site), oral cancer’s five-year survival rate is good: about 83%. Only 33% of all oral cancer discoveries fall into this category.
• Found while Regional (progressed to regional lymph nodes) the five-year survival rate drops significantly, to about 55%. Approximately 46% of all oral cancer discoveries are Regional.
• Found late, oral cancer’s five-year survival rate is poor: approximately 32%. This accounts for approximately 14% of all oral cancer findings.

Clearly, finding oral cancer in its early stages is key to survival. The VELscope Vx offers hope for the early discovery of oral precancers and cancers, by providing your dentist or hygienist with visual information that may not be apparent under ordinary light.