Advanced Technologies & Systems
Click on the advanced dental technologies and systems below to learn more! When you roll over the words with your mouse cursor and they change colors, click to expand them.
- Arestin® Gum Treatment
If you have any degree of gum disease, we want to help. Gum disease used to require surgery more often than not. While surgery is still an option and sometimes needed, many cases are now treated with less invasive techniques first, including deep dental cleanings, local antibiotics, and special mouth rinses. Arestin® is one of the prescription antibiotics (minocycline hydrochloride) that helps kill the bacteria that cause gum disease. After the spaces between the gums and teeth, called "gum pockets," have been deep cleaned, we place Arestin into the treated pockets where it dissolves. Getting Arestin is painless, and it is different from an antibiotic taken in pill form because it is placed directly where you need it and right where it works. Arestin has been found to make deep cleanings three times more likely to result in successful treatment than deep cleanings alone! Arestin has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Botox® Cosmetic Wrinkle Reduction
Do you want to regain a more youthful appearance by improving the look of wrinkles, crow’s feet, forehead creases, and frown lines? If so, Botox® Cosmetic can help! Botox is a safe-to-use bacterial toxin which, when injected into the facial muscles in minute quantities, relaxes the muscles and effectively improves the appearance of wrinkles that are caused by the movement of these muscles. Botox treatments can be administered during separate appointments, or in combination with cosmetic or restorative dental care at Dental Solutions. You can leave our office with a brighter smile and a rejuvenated appearance!
People sometimes wonder why a dentist administers Botox treatments, but we think dentists are very fitting people to administer them. Not only are dentists trained in the anatomy of the face and head, but they also have a lot of experience giving injections so their technique is highly refined.
- CEREC® One-Visit Crowns
- Crowns & Fixed Bridges
Dental crowns are often called caps. They cover teeth to restore them to their appropriate shape and size after large fillings, fractures, or weakening forces such as intense grinding. In all these cases, crowns not only cover teeth but provide added support as well. They can also be used to attach bridges, cover dental implants, restore seriously discolored or misshapen teeth, and even as a preventive measure to protect a tooth in danger of breaking. Dental bridges do exactly what their name implies: bridge gaps left by one or multiple missing teeth. The two teeth on either side of the gap to be bridged serve as anchor teeth, also called "abutment teeth." Each anchor tooth has a crown that attaches to the false tooth/teeth of the bridge. Dental bridges can be supported by natural teeth with crowns on top, or by implant-supported crowns.
Crowns can be made of all-porcelain (ceramic) material, porcelain fused to metal, gold alloys (high noble), or base metal alloys (non-noble). Each of these restorative materials has its advantages and disadvantages. Porcelain crowns most closely mimic natural tooth appearance, which is one of the reasons we prefer them. To save you valuable time, we can place crowns in only one visit using the CEREC® system. Plus, CEREC e.max® crowns have strength and durability similar to metal crowns!
If a tooth is so decayed or damaged that it needs to be removed, the best alternatives to crowns are bridges or dental implants because they replace teeth.
- Dental Implants
- Dentures & Removable Partial Dentures
We can determine the best of several options available for denture wearers. Complete dentures can be made and inserted in the mouth either immediately after the removal of remaining teeth (immediate dentures), or after the gums have healed for 6-8 weeks (conventional dentures). With immediate dentures, measurements are taken and models are made before the removal of teeth, for dentures ready to be worn immediately. Because gums and bones can shrink during healing, immediate dentures often need to be rebased or relined later to continue fitting properly. Once the mouth tissues have completely healed, a conventional denture can be prepared and placed. Some denture wearers are candidates for another option called an "overdenture," which fits over some remaining natural teeth, crowns, and/or implants to provide additional stability and strength. Removable partial dentures act as replacement for missing teeth similar to other dentures, they just fit around natural teeth still in the mouth.
Even with dentures, good dental hygiene and a balanced diet are very important to help keep the mouth healthy. Brush gums, tongue, and palate daily with a soft toothbrush to remove plaque and stimulate circulation. Dentures should also be brushed daily. Over time, dentures may need to be adjusted or replaced as they show signs of age and wear, or become loose. Sores and infections caused by ill-fitting dentures are not only uncomfortable, but they can also cause other health problems. Dentures are delicate and must be treated with care and properly stored when not being worn.
If desired, dentures can be fashioned to look like your natural teeth did, to minimize any change in your appearance. And, like millions of other denture wearers, after a little practice and patience, you too can eat foods you love, speak with greater ease, and smile with confidence again!
- Digital Imaging (Smile Preview Software)
If you dream of a beautiful smile but have lived with teeth you are unhappy with for so long that you cannot visualize them looking different, we have digital imaging software that does the trick! This smile preview software shows you how fabulous your new and improved smile could look, before we even begin treatment. During your cosmetic consultation, we will take some digital photographs. To show you the possibilities for your smile, one of our doctors will digitally manipulate the images to virtually conduct the treatment plan we recommend. It is quite remarkable what can be done with this imaging software. Teeth can be whitened and straightened, their shape can be changed, and missing teeth can even be filled in, all in just a few mouse clicks!
- Digital X-rays
- Small areas of decay between teeth or below existing restorations (fillings)
- Deep cavities
- Infections that can develop in the jaw bones
- Deep gum disease
- Abscesses or cysts
- Developmental abnormalities
- Some types of tumors
X-rays, also known as radiographs, are commonly used in dental exams of patients of all ages. Many problems with teeth and the surrounding tissues cannot be seen by the naked eye. An x-ray is needed to reveal:
Digital x-rays are comfortable for you and they are faster than traditional x-rays, with the images available to be enlarged and viewed on a computer or TV screen within seconds. Digital x-rays are also safe. They can even be used during pregnancy, and some studies cite that digital x-rays emit up to 90% less radiation! With no chemical processing needed, digital x-rays are easy on you and the environment. In cases where x-rays help us detect oral cancer early, they not only help us save your smile but they can also help save your life!
- Endodontics (Root Canal Therapy)
The inside of each tooth contains soft tissue with nerves and blood vessels running from the root to the crown. A crack, deep cavity, or other injury to a tooth can cause the nerve to become damaged or diseased, allowing bacteria to enter the tooth and kill the living tissue. Without treatment, the resulting infection can cause pain, swelling and abscesses, loss of the diseased tooth, and eventually damage to the surrounding bone. With endodontic treatment, also called root canal therapy, we carefully remove the diseased tissue and nerve from the tooth and gently clean and seal the root canal to protect it from bacteria. If necessary, medication or an antibiotic can also be used to control the spread of bacteria and stop infection. Finally, a crown is placed over the reshaped tooth to restore and strengthen it.
Relief from the pain of an infected tooth is a very welcome and immediate advantage to root canal therapy. Long-term benefits include saving your natural tooth and avoiding damage to the surrounding bone. Additionally, with continued dental care and good oral hygiene after root canal therapy, the restored tooth should last you many years.
- Fluoride Treatments
- GALILEOS 3D X-rays
The GALILEOS 3D x-ray imaging system is making high-quality, 3D digital x-rays a reality for doctors and their patients. How? A digital x-ray scanner is mounted on a mechanical arm that rotates around a patient's head, projecting x-rays in a computer-controlled, cone-shaped beam. In a matter of seconds, all data images needed are collected after one complete pass of the scanner. The detailed images can then be called up on a computer screen in a variety of angles and views, including 2D, 3D, and panorama. This allows us to fully see the relationship between patients' teeth, bones, nerves, tissues, and airways like never before, making us exceptionally equipped for diagnostic and treatment planning decisions. We believe complete information is a vital component of comprehensive care!
- Headache Prevention (Drug-Free)
Traditional theories have linked tension-type headaches (TTH) to muscle contraction and tightness in the jaw, scalp, neck, and shoulders. NTI (or nocturnal of trigeminal nociception inhibitor) is an innovation in headache treatment that prevents intense clenching and teeth grinding, also called bruxism, so your jaw and head muscles can relax. The NTI device is a small and comfortable FDA-approved mouthpiece that fits securely on either your upper or lower front teeth while you sleep. It creates exclusive contact between your incisors (the 8 teeth in the front of your mouth with straight edges) and prevents your molars from touching or grinding, which stops your pain at its source without drugs. We want to help you find relief! Visit NTI’s website to learn more.
- Intraoral Camera
Like digital x-rays, our intraoral camera is a diagnostic and patient education tool that we think you will appreciate. Using the camera, we can give you a “tour” of your mouth, live on a TV or computer screen. This allows you to see what we see, guiding you through your diagnosis and dental treatment options and keeping you informed every step of the way. On our end, the camera allows us to visualize more and diagnose issues we might not have been able to see without the up-close view that the intraoral camera gives us.
- Intravenous (IV) Anesthesia
When needed, we provide intravenous (IV) anesthesia. Before treatment, you will be given specific instructions for preparing for dental sedation.
- Isolite® System (Less Time & More Comfort)
The Isolite® System is a small invention that can make a big difference in your dental experiences. It has a light to illuminate your mouth from the inside, so treatments are shadowless and more efficient. This means you spend less time in the dental chair! The Isolite promotes comfort, too, by allowing you to rest your jaw during treatment. In addition, it completely eliminates the need for cotton rolls and rinse breaks. Come in and experience the difference!
- Magnification Loupes
Excellent dental care requires attention to detail and exacting precision. We must work in very small spaces and be accurate to a fraction of a millimeter. To help us, our doctors use the same special prismatic magnification glasses, or “loupes,” that surgeons use. Yes, we take your teeth that seriously.
- Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
- Oral Conscious Sedation
- PerioLase® Laser Gum Therapy
- Sealants
- Six Month Smiles® Braces
- Teeth Whitening
ZOOM!® is a one-hour, one-visit teeth whitening system that is great for busy patients! A high intensity light, sometimes referred to as a laser whitening light, is used to enhance the effectiveness of the bleach. The bleaching agent used, however, is the most important element of the process. Before the whitening, a rubber shield is placed or a special gel is applied to protect the gums. Desensitizers can be applied, as well, to minimize tooth sensitivity. We think you will be impressed by the excellent results that can be achieved by ZOOM! in only an hour!
Take-home teeth whitening trays are custom made to fit your mouth and enable you to whiten your teeth in the convenience of your own home. The whitening gel given is made from a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide, which allows it to remain safely on your teeth longer (sometimes overnight). Take-home whitening can achieve the same stain-free look as ZOOM! whitening, it just takes a little longer.
- Tooth-Colored Composite Fillings
Composite fillings, often called “composites” or “filled resins,” are a mixture of quartz or glass filler in a resin medium that makes a tooth-colored dental filling. The material is cured with a special light and the surface is shaped and polished, so the end result is a virtually undetectable restoration that feels natural in your mouth. Composites are strong and durable. Additionally, because these fillings are bonded to teeth instead of mechanically held in place, the process is more conservative in relation to tooth structure and therefore more healthy natural tooth is able to remain. This results in smaller fillings.
- Veneers
- ViziLite® Oral Cancer Screening
In addition to the regular visual oral cancer screenings we perform at every cleaning appointment and the dental x-rays we recommend periodically, we also offer ViziLite® oral cancer screening. Oral cancer is actually curable in 80-90% of cases when it is caught in its early stages. One of the challenges with oral cancer screening, however, is that early-stage oral cancer tissues are often visually indistinguishable from non-cancerous mouth tissues. While routine visual exams help us catch oral cancer in moderate to advanced stages, there is now technology to help us see oral cancer while it is still in the earlier stages. We use ViziLite for these more thorough screenings. The procedure is simple and painless, involving special light technology that has proven successful in identifying early-stage soft tissue abnormalities that can turn into oral cancer.
Avon Location
317-273-ZOOM (9666)
105 S. Raceway Road, Suite 140
Indianapolis, IN 46231
Avon Hours
- 8am-5pmMonday
- 8am-5pmTuesday
- 8am-5pmWednesday
- 9am-7pmThursday
- By AppointmentFriday
Columbus Location
812-342-ZOOM (9666)
3780 Jonathan Moore Pike, Suite 180
Columbus, IN 47201
Columbus Hours
- 8am-5pmMonday
- 8am-5pmTuesday
- 8am-5pmWednesday
- 9am-7pmThursday
- By AppointmentFriday
