Modern Technology In The Dental Our Office
April 21, 2015
I was recently asked why I am so concerned about bringing modern dental technology into my dental office.
The easiest way to explain how I feel is to draw a comparison with hospitals. If you or a family member goes to a hospital for a surgery, which hospital are you going to choose. The hospital with a fifteen year old surgery center or the hospital with the state-of-the-art equipment, such as CAT Scan, Robotics, Heart catheters and the list goes on.
A dental office is no different! We are working on the human body, your body. Dentists are responsible for making sure you can eat, show a youthful smile and keep your teeth disease free for as long as you live. Another important duty is to eliminate any infection in your mouth that can affect your heart, other organs or exacerbate diabetes and other health conditions.
Modern dental technology is dramatically improving a patient’s experience in a dental office. Certain advancements have also vastly improved the accuracy of the dental work being placed in a patients mouth.
We all have one life and one body. Let’s take care of it the best we can!
Video Tour of the Office of Dr. Kenneth Canzoneri
February 20, 2015
Click on the link below to view a video tour of the dental office and more videos
by Dr. Kenneth J. Canzoneri
Fall In Love With Your Smile
February 12, 2015
Recently I gave a patient a new smile by placing 10 porcelain veneers on her upper front teeth. The veneers rejuvenated her smile. Her teeth looked younger, brighter and all around healthier. My patient said that she loved her new smile and that “The veneers looked like a piece of art work.”
One of the great gifts technology has given me as a dentist is to view my work as art. I believe the most artistic form of dentistry is that of veneers. While the dentist may be the artist, it is the patients themselves who become the masterpiece. A bright smile, well aligned and beautifully shaped teeth can dramatically improve not only ones appearance but also their self-confidence.
Veneers began back in 1970 when naval dentists used composites to alter the shape and color of teeth. In the 1980’s porcelain veneers were introduced to correct the appearance of crowding. The veneers of 2015 are very thin shells of porcelain which are custom made to each individual tooth and bonded directly to the teeth.
I have discussed previously that the life changing transformation a new smile can give to patients, but I believe of equal importance is the fact that veneers can also be used to correct the structural health of teeth. Patients often come to my office concerns about teeth not fitting together well, chipped without pain. Veneers can be used to change the surface of teeth, make the teeth more sound and alter the biting surface to improve the function of chewing.
Every porcelain restoration I design I consider a piece of art and therefore every patient’s smile is a masterpiece. Just as we fall in love with beautiful works of art, someone is falling in love with your smile!
Amazing New Lasers In Dentistry
August 21, 2014
The use of lasers in my dental office has opened up a variety of treatment options for my patients. We can treat tooth decay and gum disease, recontour or reshape the gums and address joint and muscle pain as well as lessen the pain of canker sores with the laser. One of the latest most exciting developments is that we now have the ability to smooth fine lines around the lip area, giving the patient a more youthful look.
In most cases a laser can be used to remove decay with No pain, No drill, and No shot. Although a laser cannot be used to remove metallic fillings, I personally have not had to give a dental injection to do a filling on a front tooth in a number of years!
The use of Dental Lasers have become a more effective way to manage gum disease in conjunction with more classic dental therapy, giving great results.
Gum recontouring can help people who want to change the appearance of uneven gums or too much gum when they smile. A qualified dentist can quickly correct this problem in one appointment without sutures or scalpels. The healing properties of the laser allows for a quick recovery.
Another advancing field in dentistry is that of Low Level Laser Therapy or LLLT. It is a way to use a specific type of laser to promote healing and relieve pain. In dentistry we can use LLLT to treat patients who have pain in the jaw joint or surrounding muscles, this in conjunction with standard dental treatments will aid in diminishing the TMJ pain.
The new SmoothLase laser is used to tighten and smooth the tissue around the lips there by lessening the appearance of fine lines without any down time or pain. The SmoothLase is used in a series of three, 30 minute appointments that will reduce the fine lines around the mouth. There are No shots, No incisions, No pain and you can continue with your day to day business without missing a beat. The results will take place gradually over time and give you more youthful look.
Modern Technology In The Dental Office
May 13, 2014
I was recently asked why I am so concerned about bringing modern dental technology into my dental office.
The easiest way to explain how I feel is to draw a comparison with hospitals. If you or a family member goes to a hospital for a surgery, which hospital are you going to choose. The hospital with a fifteen year old surgery center or the hospital with the state-of-the-art equipment, such as CAT Scan, Robotics, Heart catheters and the list goes on.
A dental office is no different! We are working on the human body, your body. Dentists are responsible for making sure you can eat, show a youthful smile and keep your teeth disease free for as long as you live. Another important duty is to eliminate any infection in your mouth that can affect your heart, other organs or exacerbate diabetes and other health conditions.
Modern dental technology is dramatically improving a patient’s experience in a dental office. Certain advancements have also vastly improved the accuracy of the dental work being placed in a patients mouth.
We all have one life and one body. Let’s take care of it the best we can!
Say Goodbye to Gooey Dental Impressions
April 18, 2014
One of the biggest complaints I hear from my patients is that the materials dentists use to take impressions for crowns, veneers and bridges is extremely unpleasant. The impression material when it is placed in a patient’s mouth typically runs down the back of the throat causing patients to gag and usually tastes awful. To add insult to injury a patient has to sit and endure this anywhere from one minute to seven minutes waiting for the material to harden before it can be removed. Even though my assistant and I will stay next to the patient the entire time the impression is in their mouth, it is still ‘gooey’ uncomfortable, a little claustrophobic.
Last year a new digital scanner was introduced to dentists. The 3Shape Digital Impression Scanner. Not many things surprise me in dentistry anymore but the technology of 3Shape scanner is simply amazing!
How the scanner works is that when a dentist prepares a tooth for a crown (including veneers, onlays, implant crowns and many other dental restorations) a small camera is placed in the mouth and the scanner begins to take hundreds of color pictures of your teeth and gums. Once the dentist is satisfied that the scanner has captured all the information the scanner sends the 3D images to the lab by email. The scanner is in the mouth, taking its pictures, for about 45 seconds three times.
The advantages of the 3Shape scanner for patients are quick and comfortable impressions, high quality restoration fits and minimal grinding, reduced number of appointments due to fewer retakes, reduced overall chair time and most importantly a great patient experience.
Follow my Blog as I will continue to share more information about modern dental advances which are leading to better accuracy and a much improved patient experience in the dental chair.
Free Oral Cancer Sceening Now Thru Dec 2013
November 19, 2013
The Two Minute Exam That Could Save Your Life! New Patients please call and schedule your appointment for a Free Oral Cancer Screening now thru December 2013.
VelScope has developed the last technology in oral cancer detection and we have it here, its simple and takes just a few minutes. As Seen On The Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors
Kenneth J Canzoneri, DDS
626.446.1679
Safely Capturing Clearer Images with Digital X-Rays
April 25, 2012
If you’ve ever visited Dr. Canzoneri’s Arcadia dental office, you know how committed we are to treating patients with contemporary techniques and technology. That’s why we use digital X-rays instead of traditional radiography.
Why are we are committed to this technology? Because of the many benefits that come with it.
First and foremost, digital X-rays emit much less radiation than traditional X-rays do. That benefits everyone in the office, but especially you, the patient.
Second, digital X-rays use a simple digital sensor to capture images. Compare this with the clunky materials used to take X-rays the traditional way.
Third, digital X-rays don’t have to be developed. For us, that means not having to work with harmful chemicals. For you, that means less time waiting to see the results. Instead, we can simply display your results on a monitor, where you and Dr. Canzoneri can clearly look at them together. We can even make adjustments to the images, making them clearer to see, all so that you can be completely up to speed about the health of your smile.
We don’t want any of our patients to leave with unanswered questions on their mind. With digital X-ray technology, it’s now easier than ever to educate patients about how their smile is doing.
Want to know more about digital X-rays? Call Dr. Canzoneri’s Arcadia office today. We serve patients from Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, and Los Angeles.
Ask The Expert…
February 21, 2012
Ask The Expert
Kenneth J. Canzoneri, D.D.S
Q: Is it true that oral cancer is very prevalent in men and how do I look for it?
A: Yes, it is true. Oral cancer has become the sixth leading cancer among men and is also increasing in young adults. The good news is that if found early enough the survival rate is very high. Your dentist or dental hygienist should do a yearly oral cancer exam. The FDA recently cleared the VELscope system, a breakthrough technology, to assist dental professionals in discovering cancerous and precancerous growths that may not be apparent to the naked eye.
The VELscope utilizes a safe, high energy, blue light with specialized filtering to evaluate the oral tissue for abnormal areas. It is completely free of any pain or discomfort.
Q: I am going to a friend’s wedding and want to bleach my teeth but I am worried that the bleaching material will damage my teeth. What should I do?
A: I am asked this question in my office at least 4 times a week. Teeth whitening when done correctly, is safe and it does not damage the surface of your teeth. Bleaching gels can cause some degree of tooth sensitivity but there are now desensitizing gels which can reduce the amount of sensitivity you may experience.
Q: I haven’t smiled in years due to my ugly teeth and I want to get veneers. I am nervous because some of my friend’s porcelain veneers look fake.
A: This is a complicated question which could take pages to explain. The simple answer is to find an experienced dentist and dental laboratory. In my opinion a high quality dental lab that can fabricate realistic veneers may be more important than the dentist. The best idea is to ask to see photos of patients that the doctor and the lab have completed. Websites with before and after photos may be a good source.
Q: I haven’t been to the dentist in a few years. I know that I have some old fillings and cavities but I am afraid that the dentist is going to drill my good teeth away.
A: I feel strongly that with the advances in, what dentists refer to as, adhesive dentistry, the preservation of tooth structure must be the goal of every dental professional. The advances in technology such as lasers, drills that are faster with less vibration, electric drills, digital x-rays, bonded fillings and porcelain have dramatically improved a dentist’s ability to take away the diseased portion of the tooth without harming the healthy tooth structure.
Dental Photography
May 25, 2010
I have been taking photographs of my patient’s teeth since I started my dental practice. First, I used 35mm slides, then Polaroid’s and now we use digital photography and intraoral cameras. Digital photographs are taken with a macro lens which allows for close up views of all your teeth or just one tooth. An intraoral camera is used by placing a small lens, the size of two pencils in the mouth to see very small areas of a tooth.
These photographs of teeth are used for many purposes. When I am discussing the condition of a patient’s mouth, I want to show the patient a picture of what I see. Photographs also give us a record of what a patient’s mouth looks like at one moment in time. We will also use pictures of teeth to send to insurance companies to substantiate a dental claim. Digital photography as well as digital x-rays can be sent via email for second opinions and outside consultation.
In my practice, I can not discuss a patient’s dental condition and possible treatment without showing them pictures of my wife and kids, that’s ok too!