An amazing diagnostic tool, the Diagnodent uses a laser device to find tooth cavities in their early stages which may otherwise not be noted until they have advanced further.  The Diagnodent laser also makes it easier to find decay that may be hidden in the cracks and crevices of teeth.

With more traditional methods, decay in the biting surfaces of teeth can remain virtually undetected until significantly developed.  The Diagnodent laser caries detection system is a reliable, non-invasive supplement to our diagnostic procedures and is highly effective in detecting decay at an early stage.

We utilise the latest version of the Diagnodent laser in the form of a cordless hand-held pen-like instrument that sends a safe, painless laser beam into the tooth. A numeric display & alarm signals when there are signs of hidden decay.

The NV Diode Laser allows us to perform a vast array of soft tissue procedures such as crown lengthening surgery, removal of tongue-tie, gum re-contouring as well as a host of other procedures.  By using the laser you will experience faster procedure times, less bleeding, less discomfort during and after as well as faster healing.  The laser is also used for treating periodontal disease by eliminating bacteria and promoting growth of healthy tissues.

What will I experience during LASER treatment?

You are given protective eyewear.  The area may be numbed with an anaesthetic injection.  Post-operative discomfort will be greatly reduced.

Are LASERs safe?

Yes.  In the hands of a qualified trained dentist, lasers are very safe.  As with any device used in the dental practice, we have undertaken the appropriate training courses with local instructors and overseas experts in laser dentistry.  Our dentist Dr Krystal Tarak is accredited in the use of lasers in Dentistry by the University of Queensland.

All instrument cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising occurs in our designated central processing area in order to control our quality standards and ensure your safety.

Our staff are kept up to date with the Dental Council NZ Code Of Practice on infection control.  The equipment at All Smiles Dental is regularly upgraded with your safety in mind.

Furthermore, we use the latest products to keep up with international standards of best practice.

Our Planmeca Promax 3D Panoramic and Lateral Cephalometrogram machine, made in Finland, enables us to take two different exta-oral x-rays. The first is a panoramic x-ray that captures the entire mouth in a single image, including the teeth, upper and lower jaws, surrounding structures and tissues. The second is a lateral Cephalometrogram x-ray which captures a side-view of the face showing the bones and facial contours in profile.
The Planmeca Promax captures digital x-rays and therefore the radiation to the patient is minimal.
Both the panoramic and lateral Cephalometric x-rays are very helpful for treatment planning of orthodontic treatment. The Lateral Cephalometric x-ray allows us to ascertain whether the bony base of you jaws is able to support proposed teeth movements in a stable and predictable position. It also allows us to analyse soft tissues that will be affected by tooth movement – i.e. you don’t just want straight teeth – you want your face to look great too!

In growing patients – the Lateral Cephalometric x-ray also gives us fantastic information (via analysis of the cervical vertebrae) as to which growth stage a patient is in, and more importantly whether they are about to go through a growth spurt, so that we may then sequence our treatment accordingly.

We regularly use the Panoramic x-ray when diagnosing wisdom teeth positions, assessing overall bone levels throughout the whole jaw (important when analyzing gum health), looking at jaw joints, and searching for any potential pathology. We also find it very useful for our patients with severe gagging reflex, who are unable to tolerate intra-oral x-rays, as the Planmeca Promax has a special feature to take these same bitewing x-rays outside of the mouth.

Our EXPRESS™ Origo imaging plate system provides our dentists with excellent image quality. Made in Finland, it features reusable phosphor plates that slip into a protective cover and a hygienic barrier. The system presents the x-rays taken on the computer screen clearly and within a matter of seconds. There is no chemical processing needed with our imaging plate system, which therefore eliminates the risk of lost or low-quality images due to errors in processing. The x-rays taken are digital and therefore have low radiation. As no processing chemicals are used, the digital x-rays are better for the environment too. These images allow our dentists to find cavities and diagnose decay in teeth. They are also used to check the health of the tooth root and bone surrounding the tooth, check the status of developing teeth, and monitor the general health of teeth and jawbone.

The MiniStar is made in Germany, and is hooked up to a compressed air supply, similar to a high speed handpiece. This supplies the force for moulding. A plastic piece is softened by an electrically heated ring, which is suspended over the model. The dental model is suspended in a flask of dense ball-bearing type balls that can absorb excess heat.
The soft plastic is then placed over the model and the air compression is turned on. Using a series of lights to indicate time and temperature, it takes about a minute to soften and mold the plastic. The plastic is then removed, cut to shape, and the edges are smoothed. By using positive air pressure to force plastic into position, it allows a perfectly even flow of air to equally compress all parts of the softened plastic material with high accuracy every time.

We use the MiniStar for the following:
• Bleaching trays
• Home Fluoride trays
• Custom impression trays
• Stents for provisional restorations
• Athletic Mouthguards
• Occlusal guards / Bite Splints
• Orthodontics Retainers

The Air-Flow Handy 3.0 uses air and water pressure to quickly and painlessly remove surface staining, plaque and soft debris.

A controlled stream of specially processed sodium bicarbonate or glycine powders in a slurry through the handpiece nozzle. Fine particles of powders are propelled by compressed air in a warm spray and directed onto the surfaces of the teeth removing surface stains, plaque and other soft deposits such as food particles trapped in between the teeth.

The literature overwhelmingly supports the use of an air polishing device as an efficient and effective means of removing stain and plaque from tooth surfaces. Air polishing requires less time than traditional polishing methods and is considered an equally safe, sometimes superior, alternative.  Most investigators agree that intact enamel surfaces are not damaged when stain removal is performed by means of an air polishing device.  In short, air polishing is believed to be the least damaging and most efficient means of removing stain on enamel.

The Sybron Endo TF Adaptive Motor assists in improved root canal preparation with the use of adaptive motion technology.  Adaptive Motion relies on a patented feedback algorithm that changes the motion of the file based on the applied load (stress).  When the file is doing minimal work (when there is no stress on the file) the motion is purely rotary (clockwise rotation only).  When the file begins to cut more dentine, the motion begins to “adapt” from pure rotary to reciprocation (clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation).  This action disengages the file from grabbing too much of the canal wall.  The more stress felt on the file, the more the motor adapts to offset the stress, thus avoiding a stress level that might normally unwind or fracture the file.

The TF Adaptive System is an advanced endodontic rotary system that combines the strength and flexibility of patented NiTi twisted files with the adaptive motion technology of the Sybron Endo TF Adaptive motor to help us safely, accurately and efficiently clean and shape root canals.

Utilising the ratio technique, Root ZX provides a highly accurate indication of the file’s location within the root canal system and ensures accuracy.

The 3M™ True Definition Scanner takes multiple images of your mouth using a wand with a camera, it joins all the images taken to create an exact replica of your mouth. Whether it is just one tooth that we would like to capture or the whole mouth the 3M scanner can do it all. Once the images are taken we can show you on the screen what we have taken. We then send the scan away to dental technicians who will make the appliance you need.

The handle on the 3M scanner like a traditional dental handpiece is narrow has an angled tip providing easy access to the back of the mouth.

Taking the images with the scanner can eliminate the need for the messy uncomfortable putty impressions we would otherwise need to take. The 3M scanner helps eliminate the need to retake impressions, remake restorations or make adjustments to restorations, which means faster appointments and fewer return visits.

We use the 3M scanner is useful for a range of dental procedures, including crowns, bridges, implant crowns, orthodontic treatment. It can shorten the time needed to create a restoration by half in some cases.

An intraoral camera is a video camera that moves around inside the mouth and generates a tooth by tooth video exam of your teeth. The images can be stored and later enlarged on our monitors.

As it is nearly impossible to see inside your own mouth Intraoral Cameras provide a previously unseen view. With the images produced by our VistaCam iX HD Camera, patients can see each of their teeth and we can clearly indicate problems such as broken teeth, plaque, decay, gum disease, defective fillings and so on. Using an Intraoral Camera allows patients to better understand their dental needs by seeing what the Dentist sees and then having it explained.

The VistaCam iX intraoral camera meets the highest requirements for fully digital communication with our patients and the intelligent, interchangeable head mechanism allows us to show not only the photographic image of a tooth but also to show areas of plaque (and bacteria) and most importantly, to allow early and gentle detection of decay – WITHOUT exposure to x-ray radiation.

Vistacam iX Auckland all smiles dental mt edenEarly decay lesions not otherwise visible on the surface of the tooth are able to be visualised by using a violet LED light which causes decay-causing bacteria to glow red.

A further camera head with infrared technology and software analysis makes it easy to visualise plaque by showing them fluorescently.

Since the Intraoral Camera generates images that are stored, enlarged and analysed (often at high magnification), dental problems are most often caught in the early stages, enabling us to employ minimal-intervention dentistry to take care of a small problem before it becomes a big one.