Our Technology

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is the most frequently used method for easing mild to moderate anxiety. Administered through a small mask that fits over your nose, it is an effective way to calm anxiety, raise your pain threshold, and even make time seem as if it’s passing more quickly. As the gas begins to work, you will become calm, although you will still be awake and able to talk with the dentist.

At the end of your appointment, you’ll resume breathing regular oxygen, and all the effects of nitrous oxide will wear off, so you can resume your normal activities immediately. 

IV Sedation for Dental Extractions

IV sedation dentistry works as a form of conscious sedation to help you feel relaxed during your appointment. This method does not put you fully to sleep, but it does make you less aware of your surroundings — including anything the dentist may or may not be doing to your mouth. That means you can still respond to verbal commands or gentle nudging, and you should not need help breathing. Unlike other forms of sedation that are inhaled (like nitrous oxide) or taken in pill form, the dentist administers the sedation intravenously, which means through your vein.

IV sedation provides several benefits:

• It starts working quickly, and you feel minimal to no pain during the procedure.
• The dentist can monitor your vitals and easily adjust the dosage.
• It creates a long period of amnesia, so you won't remember the procedure at all when you wake up.

We are able to offer IV sedation for extractions performed by Dr. Andrew Lepine in our Waterbury location. A thirty minute sedation consultation is required to answer all your questions and ensure you are a good candidate prior to the surgery.

Digital Dentistry

Digital Records

• All of our patient records are digital. This allows us to quickly access relevant patient information and we can easily communicate between our three locations and specialist offices.
• We have a patient portal that you can easily access from home to see scheduled appointments for you and your family, pay outstanding bills, and watch videos of different dental procedures.

Digital X-rays 

• We exclusively work with digital X-rays. Traditional X-ray films take time to process, requires various chemicals to expose the image, and are unable to be shared quickly and efficiently to other offices and specialists if necessary.
• Digital X-rays provide superior image quality, provide instant image availability, and lower radiation exposure.

Intaroral Cameras 

• Each clinical room is equipped with small cameras that can be used to take pictures inside your mouth. We can magnify the picture onto the computer screen to help better identify any potential issues and help you see exactly what we see to help you better understand and improve your oral health. These pictures are saved in your patient record to help document and track changes to your oral health.

Intaroral Scanning 

• Intraoral scanning makes a 3D digital image of your mouth that dental technicians can use to design and make a prosthesis (crowns, veneers, onlays, inlays, bridges, implant-supported restorations, or dentures). We are equipped in our Waterbury location with this technology. In many circumstances we no longer need the gooey impression material to make a mold of your teeth.

Implants

An implant is a synthetic tooth root in the shape of a post that is surgically placed into the jawbone. The “root” is usually made of titanium: the same material used in many replacement hips and knees, and a metal well suited to pairing with human bone.

A replacement tooth is then fixed to the post. The tooth can be either permanently attached or removable. Permanent implants are more stable and feel more like natural teeth.

The ideal candidate for implants is a non-smoker who has good oral health, including a sufficient amount of bone in the jaw, and healthy gums with no sign of gum disease. We work with talented local surgeons that place the implant posts and our dentists restore the tooth with either a fixed crown or removable appliance. Read more about Implant Options