DIAGNOdent - Detecting Tooth Decay Beneath the Surface

It is our goal to help you maintain or improve your oral health.

To achieve this goal, the dental care that our patients receive always includes state of the art equipment that can benefit you in many ways. The newest among these is a small laser instrument called the DIAGNOdent, which scans your teeth with harmless laser light searching for hidden decay.

We can't cure what we can't see!
Locating hidden decay before it destroys tooth structure (from the inside out) is a big problem in modern dentistry. The wide­spread use of fluoride supplements in dental materials, toothpastes and drinking water have made tooth surfaces harder and more resistant to decay. However, diagnosing cavities is more challenging because the disease process can start through microscopic defects in the hard surface enamel and can readily spread into the softer tooth structure beneath the surface.

Meanwhile, the external surface of the tooth still appears to be healthy. X-rays and probing with an explorer are simply unreliable in detecting sub surface decay, particularly when the cavity is in its early stages. Fortunately, the new DIAGNOdent is a major breakthrough that allows the dentist to monitor tooth surfaces. The DIAGNOdent allows the dentist to locate hidden decay, and with treatment stop the spread of disease before it destroys the tooth from within.

Patient friendly, especially for children.
This unique instrument provides instant feedback on the health of the tooth. A pen like probe simply glides over tooth surfaces constantly checking the health of the tooth. A number scale and an alarm signals the operator when there are signs of hidden decay. This new technology is completely safe and pain free.

Detecting the invisible : pictures tell a tale

Seemingly intact molar : as perceived visually (left) and radiographically