DENTAL IMPLANTS
GENERAL DENTISTS

Technology:

Does having a Digital System impact patients?            
Certainly. These days, patients are so familiar with technology in every aspect of their lives, from phones to computers, and they are used to accessing and viewing information on a computer screen.  In the past, explaining an implant case or other conditions with a regular x-ray seemed to confuse or even intimidate some patients. They often didn't know or fully appreciate what they were looking at in a small piece of x-ray film. We believe it is the patient's right to be fully informed about dental srevices ... including having information about the technology being used. Now, it is possible to zoom in on the 2D digital pan image or 3D scans on a large monitor, and focus on even the smallest details; and, in the case of 3D scans, slice and rotate the images to gain the right perspective for demonstrating to the patient. Our patients appreciate that we have invested in the tools to provide them with individualized treatment for their dental implant surgery.  As Dental professionals, we all want our patients to have the best possible care available, with the highest standards of sterilization. The Alberta Dental Association + College has initiated a dental sterilization protocol that is perhaps the most comprehensive in Canada.

There is a considerable amount of factual information on the Internet relating to the importance of digital imaging technology in the field of Dentistry. At the LEIGH SMILE CENTER, we use a CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) GENDEX i-CAT 3D-Imaging X-Ray Machine to diagnose all our Dental Implant cases, and to take Panorex X-Rays for our cosmetic and General dentistry patients.

The Leigh Smile Center has passed the thorough inspection and rigorous standards for the Infection & Protection Controls Standards mandated by the Alberta Dental Association + College in 2012.

   
                New Sterilization Room and Sterilizing Equipment (October 2015)

Computer-Generated Surgical Guides:

PATIENTS: For research or information concerning computer-generated surgical guides, please contact Dr. Leigh at drleigh@telus.net, or search for "dental implant surgical guides" on the Internet where there is an abundance of factual information demonstrating the advantages.

The Dentists at the Leigh Smile Center work with other expert Dentists, OMF Radiologists and Technicians in the Field of Dental Imaging in Boston and Atlanta, in the USA, to precisely plan the positioning of their patient’s implants. This process is conducted over the Internet and is very fast. Along with utilizing our own Implant Planning Software and in cooperation with these well known Centers (3D-Diagnostix and 360 Imaging) we are able to create Computer-Generated IMPLANT SURGICAL GUIDES from our 3-Dimensional CBCT Patient Scans. We utilize the 360 Imaging’s New ‘360 dps Version 8.0 Software’ for our Implant Treatment Planning and ‘Simplant’ a well known Implant Planning Software.

Below are some examples of the technology used at the Leigh Smile Center. Click on the small photo and it will expand into a larger photo for your examination.

Click on photos below to see larger photos:

Treatment planning with 3-D Imaging

Planning Surgical Guides

3D Imaging

3D Planning Image

Bone Cross-section, and Angulation.

Surgical Guide Planning

Fabricated Surgical Guide

Maxillary Surgical Guide

Titanium Framework

Titanium Framework

Surgical Guide with Drill Collars

Surgical Guide

Surgical Guide

Occlusal View of Implant Planned Positions