Advanced Dental Technology

Dental Imaging in Mission Viejo, CA

White or Tooth-colored fillings are made to mimic the natural appearance of the tooth. Free of mercury and other potentially hazardous metals, these fillings can also be used to restore teeth that have been chipped or fractured. If you have several unsightly amalgam (silver) fillings, they can be replaced with beautiful composite fillings custom matched to your own teeth in about an hour in our Mission Viejo office by a cosmetic dentist, EM Makhoul, DDS.

At EM Makhoul DDS - Dentist of Mission Viejo, we pride ourselves on our advanced technology, and personalized conscientious care. We don’t take shortcuts when it comes to providing the best care and the most beautiful results for Smile Makeover

Intraoral Camera

Dr. Makhoul knows that a picture is worth a thousand words – especially in dentistry! The intra-oral camera is a valuable tool that Dr. Makhoul uses to help you understand your examination, diagnosis and treatment. This small, handheld video camera is about the same size as a dental mirror (or an oversized pen) and comes with a disposable plastic sheath for contamination prevention. It is used to take actual pictures of your teeth with up to 25 times magnification and project them onto a screen for your review. It can also be used to give you a video tour of your entire mouth so that you can see things such as plaque deposits, decay, worn teeth, and broken or missing fillings.

Prior to the development of this technology, some patients found it challenging to understand problems such as dental decay and periodontal disease. Now, it’s possible to display, pause, and zoom in during a video examination of the problem area, so that you can see it for yourself — all in color and crystal clear.

Advantages of an Intra-Oral Camera

• An intra-oral camera makes you more of an active partner in your dental treatment, enabling you to see what the dentist sees — an especially important benefit when additional treatments need to be discussed, or when treatment options must be explained — so that you can make informed decisions.
• You may be more comfortable asking questions and better able to understand a treatment option or oral hygiene concern when you can actually see it.
• Because it gives you the real-world picture of your dental hygiene, the intra-oral camera is ideally suited to show you techniques for improving your oral health and hygiene habits.
• With its powerful magnification (much superior to the naked eye), it reveals the early stages of maladies such as gum disease and cavities.
• The images can be captured and reexamined later, to show you changes in your oral health and hygiene or how a multi-phase treatment is progressing.
• Furthermore, it can provide insurance companies with the proof they require to approve a needed treatment.

Digital X-Rays

Digital radiography is the latest way to take and evaluate x-rays. With digital X-rays, less radiation is needed to produce high-quality images. These images can then be evaluated by Dr. Makhoul on a large flat-screen monitor. This allows for easier detection of any problems. With such a large image, it is also easier for patients to see and understand what is happening with their teeth.

Advantages of Digital X-Rays

Besides minimizing radiation exposure, digital x-rays offer numerous advantages to dentists and patients alike. These include:

• No chemical processing & no waiting. Because there is no film to process with digital x-rays, there is no waiting for pictures to develop — and no toxic chemicals to dispose of. Dr. Makhoul can immediately show you the pictures on a computer screen for easy viewing.
• A clearer picture. It’s possible to get more information from digital x-rays because they are sharper and can be enhanced in a number of ways. The contrast can be increased or decreased, and areas of concern can be magnified. It’s even possible to compare them on-screen to your previous x-rays, making even the minutest changes to your tooth structure easier to detect.
• Easy sharing and storage. Digital x-rays provide a better visual aide for you, the patient, to understand your diagnosis and treatment options. They can be e-mailed to different locations; they are also far less likely to be misplaced.

Computerized Cosmetic Imaging

Have you ever wondered what you would look like with a more beautiful smile? We have software that allows you to see and review the benefits of cosmetic treatments – before they are done. This innovative software allows us to take a digital photo of you and illustrate the various ways we can improve your teeth and enhance your smile. You’ll have a window into the new you! This wonderfully interactive method helps you envision your beautiful new smile.

Laser Cavity Detector – Soprolife

This is the most advanced and accurate cavity detection technique to primarily locate decay below the chewing surfaces of back teeth in deep grooves and pits. These areas can have decay that is virtually impossible to detect with routine dental instruments or X-rays.

This highly precise laser will detect decay-producing bacteria and give a digital readout to guide the dentist to take the appropriate action: no treatment, treatment without anesthetic or need for anesthetic. We use this specialized and totally painless laser technique to detect cavities in the pits and grooves of teeth long before they could be found with traditional techniques. With this state-of-the-art instrument, we are able to keep teeth healthy and natural with early intervention.

Laser Dentistry

They are inside your laptop computer and your DVD player, present on the factory floor and the supermarket checkout line. And now, lasers are finding increasing use in dentistry.

At this time Lasers are cleared by the FDA to treat all soft tissue related issues like Gum disease, and to pinpoint tooth decay in its early stages. They can precisely remove tissue, and seal painful ulcerations like canker sores. In the future, dental laser technology will undoubtedly find even more applications, for hard tissue treatment such as fillings and crowns.

How Do Lasers Work?

Lasers take advantage of the quantum behavior of electrons, tiny particles inside atoms. By stimulating atoms with pulses of energy, and then using a method of optical amplification, they cause the atoms to produce a beam of coherent light. Essentially, that means that they emit light which has a great deal of energy, yet can be precisely controlled. It’s the combination of high energy and precision that make lasers so useful.

Dr. Makhoul combines advanced technology with exceptional dentistry to provide patients with a positive overall experience. Learn more about our practice by calling EM Makhoul DDS - Dentist of Mission Viejo Phone Number (949) 364-3724.

Dr. Makhoul is pleased to welcome patients from Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Hills and of course all the other communities of Orange County and Southern California.