Technology

At Berkeley Prosthodontics and General Dentistry, we strive to provide you with updated treatments that improve your oral health and make your dental care comfortable and efficient. Dr. Amy Au makes it a point to stay current with emerging trends in dental techniques, technology, and materials that have a direct positive effect on our patients.

Please take a moment to browse through some of the technology we are pleased to offer our patients. If anything isn't clear or you would like more information, please call our office.

3-D Cone Beam Computerized Tomography (CBCT)

Cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) is a technology that measures the quantity and quality of bone for dental procedures. It is especially useful for placing dental implants and treating TMJ issues. We can use CBCT to scan just a couple of teeth or your entire mouth.

CBCT shows us different angles and magnifications, enabling our doctors to see tiny cavities and identify potential orthodontic problems. Using CBCT, we can even see the relationships between teeth, bones, nerves, airways, and tissues so we can develop a highly accurate treatment plan. 

Digital X-Rays 

Digital x-rays have changed the way we diagnose dental conditions. The high-resolution digital images provide us with details that we would never see in a conventional film x-ray. Instead of using x-ray film that can be uncomfortable to position properly, digital x-rays use flat sensors that transmit the image in moments to a chairside monitor.

We can share these images with you so you can see exactly what the problem is and why we need to treat it. When you see for yourself what the condition is, you will be better equipped to make confident decisions about your treatment.

Some patients are understandably concerned about the amount of radiation exposure that may occur with x-rays. The fact is that during a digital x-ray, the amount of radiation you are exposed to is about the same as a two-hour flight. And the valuable information we receive from a digital x-ray is well worth the scant amount of radiation to which you are exposed.

Digital x-rays are stored securely on our in-house network, so we can easily send them to specialists or your insurance provider as needed. And since digital x-rays have no chemicals to dispose of, they are also better for the environment!

Panoramic X-Rays

Digital x-rays are an essential diagnostic tool, but sometimes it’s preferable to have access to a single x-ray image that shows us entire sections of your mouth structure. At Berkeley Prosthodontics and General Dentistry, we use panoramic digital x-rays to take two-dimensional images that are highly detailed. Panoramic images include your teeth, upper and lower jaws, and surrounding bone and tissues. Taking digital panoramic images is quick and comfortable and also dramatically reduces your radiation exposure compared to film x-rays.

If you have a child or are an adult who has trouble tolerating x-ray film, you will especially like this technology because we take extra-oral (outside the mouth) images that don’t require any x-ray film in the mouth.

The detailed images allow us to show you not just your teeth, but also other areas of your mouth where problems may be developing. Additionally, these images provide us with helpful information about the anatomy of your mouth that we can use when planning treatment.

Digital Records

We know your time is valuable, so we strive to streamline our processes to ensure that your dental visits as efficient as possible. At Berkeley Prosthodontics, we store all your patient information, history, and charts digitally. Your records are transferred securely to our secure in-house system, making it easy to retrieve your chart or to send information electronically to specialists and your insurance company.

This paperless record-keeping system is better for the environment, and it allows easy access to the information we need to help us make the most appropriate decisions about your dental treatment.