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Revolutionary Technology That Will
Dramatically Change Your Dental Experience... By: Dr. Pedro J. Cuartas, DDS
Could you imagine having a dental appointment and actually looking forward to it? In today’s fast paced world, would it be convenient to go in and have a procedure that usually takes two appointments completed in just a couple of hours? These things are possible today with the help of the latest state of the art technology and science used in dentistry. Deep, drug free relaxation and efficient dental treatment both lead to a dramatically improved dental experience for patients. These two new technologies are the NuCalm system and the E4D computer aided design (CAD) computer aided manufacturing (CAM) system.
the brain right before sleep begins. These neurotransmitters counteract adrenaline and suppress anxiety to create relaxation. The main ingredient is called GABA (gamma amino-butyric acid). The receptor sites for GABA are in the same area of the brain as the receptor sites for alcohol, and other sedative drugs. These receptor sites are responsible for calming the brain, but only GABA is the body’s natural pathway for relaxation and does not produce any side effects, unlike alcohol or other sedating drugs.
What is the NuCalm system? NuCalm is a new technology that has been used on over 21,700 dental patients across the United States and the U.K., with 95 percent of patients stating they would use NuCalm again. With the NuCalm system, the body naturally relaxes without the use of drugs. It is safe, easy to use, and there are no side effects or recuperation time needed. This system mimics the body’s natural process of readying itself for sleep. NuCalm produces the same deep relaxation every person feels just moments before falling asleep. The NuCalm technology is composed of four parts that when combined help produce deep relaxation and neuromuscular release, a feeling similar to that experienced after having a deep tissue massage. The first step in the NuCalm system is getting the brain set to relax. This is done by chewing tablets containing naturally occurring neurotransmitters that are abundantly present in
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With E4D, Final restorations are created using computer generated pictures and are sent to the in-office milling station.
The second component is the Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation Device (CES). This device has been cleared by the FDA and has been used to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia for over 45 years. Research indicates that using the CES device increases the effectiveness of the NuCalm chewable tablets by increasing the The Nucalm componets - Headphones, rate at which block-out glasses and CES device aids in the GABA is patient relaxation. absorbed and used by the brain. The CES device uses a 9V battery and generates less than one millionth of an amp. The next step is the Neuroacoustic software. This is the most important step in the NuCalm system. Sound dampening headphones are worn by the patient and under the sound of relaxing classical music are inaudible frequencies or beats that the brain subconsciously begins to follow. By following this pace or frequency the brain begins to slow down from a very alert and anxious state to a very relaxed one. This component of the NuCalm system is what allows the patient to get into a very deep level of relaxation. At this level of relaxation, patients begin to lose track of time and procedures that may take an hour or longer may only feel like twenty or thirty minutes to the patient. The patient will be relaxed until the music has stopped. The final step is the use of block-out glasses, or dark sunglasses. These are used to block out light and decrease stimulation to the brain through the eyes (visual cortex). Once the brain is relaxed, it is important not to have light stimulate the patient or essentially “wake” them. The system works best when the patient can simply close their eyes and allow themselves to relax behind the block-out glasses. Moving along from relaxation to efficiency, the E4D dental system is the latest in dental technology. The most recent version of this technology allows dentists to create very esthetic and natural looking all porcelain restorations for a patient within a couple of hours, in most cases, instead of multiple appointments. The quality of fit and finish is the same or better than what most dental labs can produce. There are several advantages for the patient if they need any type of porcelain tooth restoration such as crowns (caps), veneers, or various types of larger fillings called onlays or inlays. One advantage is that patients can usually have their final restoration finished in just one appointment.
Milling room - Dr. Cuartas overseeing fabrication of crown. Traditionally, impressions of the teeth would be taken by the dentist and sent off to a dental lab. The patient would usually have a temporary restoration placed for about two weeks and then return to the dental office to have the final one cemented in place. By reducing the process to a couple of hours, it eliminates the need for impressions and temporaries. Also, if local anesthetic is required, it is only necessary to administer it one time if there is no second appointment needed. The E4D process begins by making any necessary modification on the patient’s tooth. Multiple laser-digital images are taken of the modified tooth. These images are used by the E4D computer software to create a virtual 3-D model of the patient’s teeth. Then, a technician trained in the E4D system designs an ideal restoration. Every aspect of the final restoration is checked and verified before it is created in porcelain. The size, shape, contour, and contact points of the virtual tooth are evaluated and modified to help create an ideal tooth to fit the existing bite and neighboring teeth. Once an acceptable design is achieved, the information is wirelessly sent to an in-office milling station. There, a restoration is milled from a solid block of porcelain to the exact specifications given in the design phase. The milling process time ranges from 8 to 19 minutes. Once the porcelain block has been transformed into a tooth, it is fitted, adjusted and baked for approximately 20 minutes in a special oven used for ceramic tooth restorations. Final color and hardness is achieved in the baking stage. After a few minutes of cooling time, the restoration is ready to cement. Total time spent for the patient in the office may range from 90 minutes to 180 minutes. The E4D system is so precise and stable that restorations can be made to as thin as 0.2 mm, which is almost contact lens thin. The porcelain is extremely durable and highly esthetic. As things in the dental world continue to evolve and improve, there is an ever increasing emphasis on patient comfort and convenience. Not many people look forward to dental appointments for one reason or another. Anxiety and busy lives are two of the main reasons why people tend to avoid going at all. With the help of new technologies like the NuCalm and E4D CAD CAM systems, patients may actually begin to look forward to their dental visits. To schedule an appointment, please call Dr. Pedro Cuartas, at 985-872-3677.
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