Dr. Paul Rickard chooses carefully which and when radiographs are taken. There are many guidelines that we follow. Radiographs allow us to see everything we cannot see with our own eyes. Radiographs enable us to detect cavities in between your teeth, determine bone level, and health of 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 maintaining dental health. Exposure time for dental radiographs is extremely minimal. Dr. Rickard utilizes Suni Digital Imaging Technology within the office. With Suni digital imaging, exposure time is about 50 percent less when compared to traditional radiographs and radiographs are available instantly for interpretation. At our office each treatment room has a television that can be turned instantly into a computer monitor so that you can easily view the x-rays with the dentist. Since the image is digital, we can use special tools to clarify or enlarge any portion of the x-ray while always maintaining the original image. Digital images are easily printed and sent to specialists or your insurance company when necessary.
Suni Dental Imaging Technology provides the thinnest instant sensors available to dentists today. However, they are thicker and less flexible than the older dental films. Therefore, Dr. Rickard also uses Denoptix Phosphor Plate Technology which is more comfortable than the Suni sensors and still creates digital images. It only takes a few minutes to develop the image after it has been taken.
It is even possible for Dr. Rickard to take an x-ray of all your teeth at one time by taking a Belmont Panoramic Radiograph. The Panoramic radiograph is taken without even placing a film in your mouth. You just bite down on a holder and the x-ray machine spins around your head taking a single x-rays of all your teeth and jaws. Panorex x-rays do not have enough detail to find small cavities and cysts but they are superior for looking at wisdom teeth, viewing TMJ's, and preparing patients for orthodontic treatment.
Often Dr. Rickard will collect information using Extraoral and Intraoral Cameras. These cameras produce normal digital pictures of your teeth. Then you can see exactly what he sees on television so you can make your own informed decisions. The extraoral camera uses special lenses and mirrors to focus in on the small details of your mouth. The intraoral camera uses a special lense that goes inside your mouth to focus in upon on or two teeth at one time.
Dr. Rickard detects caries by using a pen sized instrument, called a DIAGNOdent. The DIAGNOdent shines a pin point laser beam to the outer surfaces of each tooth. The beam is less bright than a laser pointer. The tooth absorbs the laser beam and if the tooth structure is damaged or harboring bacteria the tooth becomes fluorescent. Healthy solid tooth structure will give off little or no fluorescence. A meter measures the fluorescence and gives it a numerical value which helps the doctor judge whether the tooth has caries in the outer half of the enamel, the inner half of the enamel or if it extends all the way into the dentin layer. Caries that extends beyond the hard enamel layer and into the dentin should almost always be removed and have a filling placed.
The DIAGNOdent is more relaible than the explorer, a sharp pointed instrument which was used to detect cavities since the 18th century. In 2001 the National Institute for Health determined that an explorer added little information to a visual examination with a bright light and good x-rays and that the use of an explorer may even cause damage to teeth by poking holes in them.
Visual examination with x-rays and an explorer will find about 50% of caries lesions; Diagnodent finds about 90% of them. Diagnodent is not as reliable when looking in between teeth for caries so bitewings are still necessary on an annual basis for most people. Finding caries in its earliest stages is a good thing because it helps preserve tooth structure and and smaller fillings are stronger and more reliable than large fillings.
Dr. Rickard uses a drilless form of dentistry to fill some small cavities. His KCP Whisperjet removes caries by directing a flow a fine powder on the lesion. It feels like he is blowing air on the tooth to dry it off except it leaves a powdery residue. Air abrasion is conservative because it removes less tooth structure and it will not cause tiny fractures to arise in the tooth enamel the way that a dental drill can. Often this does not require anesthesia and a tooth can be prepared very quickly.
Starting in 2008 Dr. Rickard has been using high tech Kavo electric drills to perform his dental procedures. This advanced technology allows us to work much faster, much more quietly and with more control than the older air driven technology.
Dr. Rickard improves his success in treating periodontal disease by offering Arestin antibiotic therapy in additional to scaling and root planning. Each Arestin application delivers 1mg of MInocycline in Microsphere form directly to an active infection in the gums. Although it is only a very small amount of medicine for your body to absorb it slowly releases a very concentrated dose Antibiotic directly to the infected area for three weeks or more.
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