At the Dental Institute of Bethesda, Dr. William Lanza is able address and meet patients’ varying needs by keeping up-to-date with sophisticated in-office tools, resources, and procedures. Straying from traditional X-ray machines, he employs digital radiography, which relies on ultra-fast digital imaging.
Dr. William Lanza and his associates at the Dental Institute of Bethesda are dedicated to using the latest procedures and machinery in the dental industry to ensure highly effective, long-term solutions for patients. Dr. Lanza has consistently upgraded his office’s tools to better meet dental concerns, transitioning to digital radiography to get high resolution photos and scans quickly without the radiation exposure of traditional x-ray machines.
“X-rays had their time, but they come with a few immediate drawbacks that makes them not as useful or practical as they were in years before,” says Dr. William Lanza. “Today, however, we can look to digital means to take scans of patients’ mouths to determine any dental or oral concerns with ease.”
When dentists take scans of patients’ mouths, they can find areas of decay that aren’t immediately apparent, locate any concerning abnormalities, gain an understanding of current oral health, and map out teeth for various dental procedures. In the past, x-rays were the clear choice to obtain images in-office, but the technology has its fair share of drawbacks that modern technology can overcome.
Film-based x-rays impart more radiation than digital imaging, though it’s only a concern in very select cases. X-rays tend to take much longer to develop, too, causing dental professionals to wait around while images develop before they are able to address any concerns. Results from this type of imaging are unable to be manipulated, meaning that dentists will have to take multiple images and wait for them to develop before discovering any dental problems.
“Digital imaging, on the other hand, is comparable to digital photography in that a special camera is used to take photos and return the results immediately,” says Dr. William Lanza. “Multiple images can be taken extremely quickly without any worries over excessive radiation exposure.”
Digital x-ray scans can reduce radiation exposure by up to 90% for patients, which calms many initial fears or concerns. Faster results mean less waiting for everyone involved, including patients, dentists, nurses, and other office staff. Additionally, when dentists need to manipulate photos, digital x-ray results can be viewed on a tablet or nearby screen quickly. If professionals need to apply filters or zoom in for extra detail, they can. This allows them to diagnose any dental concerns or problems far faster than they could in the past.
“Failing to upgrade office equipment to digital x-rays only impedes the progress and efficiency of the office itself,” says Dr. William Lanza. “With digital imaging, dentists gain a number of useful advantages that improves overall care.”
