Single-Tooth Anesthesia (STA)
Dentists have been using conventional needles for years to numb the mouth. However, the use of needles often creates fear and anxiety amongst people, and even prevents visits to the dentist. At LCI Dentistry we utilize a single-tooth anesthesia machine which uses an intelligent anesthesia delivery method to eliminate the pain of a needle. The STA machine utilizes a “wand” to administer the anesthesia. The wand takes human error out of the equation and regulates the flow of anesthesia to the area eliminating the pain that can often occur during an injection. Another benefit of the STA machine only provides anesthesia to the one tooth that the work is being performed on and nothing else creating a comfortable and pleasant dental experience.
Identafi (Oral Cancer Screening)
The Identafi® uses white, violet and amber wavelengths of light to illuminate oral tissue in distinct and unique ways. As a result, biochemical changes can be monitored with fluorescence, while morphological changes can be monitored with reflectance. The combined system of fluorescence and reflectance uses the body’s natural tissue properties as an adjunctive tool for oral mucosal examination. Conventional examination of tissue is performed using a highly concentrated White light.
Wearing Identafi® filtered eyewear to enhance visual effects and allow transmission of reflected light, the health professional then switches to Violet for a second observation.
The doctor’s photosensitive glasses block the violet excitation light and allow the observance of the tissues natural fluorescence. Violet light enhances normal tissue’s natural fluorescence; however, suspicious tissue appears dark because of its loss of fluorescence.
When suspect abnormalities are present the selector is switched to Amber light, which enhances normal tissue’s reflectance properties so the clinician may directly observe the difference between normal and abnormal tissue’s vasculature. This independent view of vascular architecture may assist in the assessment of confounders when screening for oral cancer.
Studies indicate abnormal tissue has a diffuse vasculature, where normal tissue vasculature is clearly defined. The combination of all three Multi-Spectral wavelengths provides the clinician with more visual information, improved results over direct visual exam alone and increased confidence for recommending biopsies.
Oraqix (Needle-Free Anesthetic)
Oraqix is a needle-free anesthetic, administered topically at and below the gum line, that’s effective and efficient for scaling and root planing procedures. Your dentist and hygienist may recommend this alternative to traditional anesthesia for several reasons:
- In clinical studies, 70% of patients preferred Oraqix to a needle injection anesthetic among SRP patients bothered by the prospect of receiving an injection or the after effects of one8
- Onset is quick, 30 seconds
- Duration of effect is approximately 20 minutes, so normal sensation is typically returned at the conclusion of the office visit
- Oraqix is site-specific making it a great choice for periodontal maintenance with scaling and root planing and full-mouth SRP
- Unique properties of Oraqix allow hygienists to better control anesthetic placement minimizing the chance of anesthetizing areas not being worked on