Advanced Technology Mechanicsville VA

Precision Dentistry

When you seek care at our office, you are assured that Dr. Schafer and staff utilize the latest in technology to enhance the quality and fit for your dental care.

Digital Imaging

Dr. Schafer 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 analyze the health of your 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 diagnosing, treating, and maintaining dental health. Exposure time for dental radiographs is extremely minimal. Dr. Schafer utilizes Digital Imaging Technologies within the office. With digital imaging, exposure time is about 50 percent less when compared to traditional radiographs. Digital imaging can also help us retrieve valuable diagnostic information. We may be able to see cavities better.

Digital imaging allows us to store patient images, and enables us to quickly and easily transfer them to specialists or insurance companies.

Digital X-Rays:

Digital X-rays offer more precision since we view the image on a computer monitor, instead of holding up a 35mm film up to the light. Digital X-rays results in 1/6th the radiation exposure to you.

Intraoral Camera

Many patients, especially younger patients, are very familiar with the latest technology and are comfortable with the high tech practice. Computers and TV screens are their primary method of information processing.

Dr. Schafer utilizes Intraoral Camera technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An Intraoral Camera is a very small camera – in some cases, just a few millimeters long. An Intraoral Camera allows our practice to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth and gums, in order for us to accurately make a diagnosis. With clear, defined, enlarged images, you see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations. This can mean faster diagnosis with less chair-time for you!

Intraoral cameras also enable our practice to save your images in our office computer to provide a permanent record of treatments. These images can be printed for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.

Digital Impressions with iTero

Thankfully those messy and uncomfortable impressions are no longer the only option for our patients. With the state-of-the-art iTero intra-oral scanner our office can make a fast highly accurate 3D image of your teeth and gum tissues. Not only is the Itero scanner more comfortable, but taking a digital scan for your new crown, or bridge is quick, which allows you to spend less time at the dentist’s office and more time enjoying your new smile! 

The technology also allows us to closely monitor the position of your gum levels over time.  Using a comparison tool we can show you any changes that have occurred and make meaningful recommendations for treatment.

Itero scan information may also be utilized to plan your dental implant placement.  Our office merges the data from your scans and uses an implant planning software to plan your implant treatment.  Once the plan is finalized our team utilizes an industry grade rapid 3D printer to create a surgical guide to ensure a safe, minimally invasive and optimal outcome for your dental implant treatment.