When it comes to your personal health care, you probably want the very best. How can you determine if you are getting first-rate dental care?

First of all, there is a lot more to learn after dentists graduate from dental school. That is why the state dental board requires 25 hours of continuing education every year. But is that enough? The dentists who are providing complex, state of the art care usually go to many more hours of continuing education at places such as the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies.

What about the office itself? Offices do not have to be fancy to be good. A clean, uncluttered, organized office can be an excellent facility. Look for books with before and after photos of the dentist’s actual cases. Look for thank you letters from patients. Look for a staff that is friendly and has confidence in the dentist. Running on time helps, too. Also look for a clean bathroom.

What equipment and techniques are there now that help the dentist provide better care?

First of all, there are outstanding topical anesthetic gels that truly numb the area before the dentist uses the "novacaine." They usually take a few minutes (not seconds) to work best.

For delivery of the anesthetic, dentists no longer need old fashioned, scary syringes. The Wand is a computer controlled anesthetic delivery device that enables the dentist to numb the patient with minimal, if any, discomfort because it works slowly.

For patients who need (or want) to be sedated, many dentists are now trained in oral conscious sedation. Patients take a safe, common sleeping pill one hour before their appointment, then doze on and off throughout the visit. A pulse oximeter is used to monitor pulse, blood pressure, and blood oxygen throughout the visit to ensure safety.

Lasers allow the dentist to help patients avoid gum surgery. Studies suggest that deep gum pockets can be reduced with laser cleaning. Lasers can also be used to "drill" cavities and to sculpt gum tissue with minimal discomfort, sometimes without anesthetic.

Digital x-rays use 90% less radiation than film x-rays. They appear instantly on a big screen, they don’t get lost, and they can be easily duplicated and printed.

Electric handpieces (drills) are much quieter than whining air turbine handpieces; and electrics are faster, too. This means less time in the chair for you.

TMJ treatment helps relieve headaches, jaw tension, gum recession, chipping teeth and many other problems. Sophisticated equipment helps dentists measure jaw muscle activity, jaw posture and joint sounds. TENS therapy helps relax overworked jaw muscles and assists in improving jaw posture. Myotronics Corporation makes state of the art equipment for this called the K7 and the Myomonitor.

For your comfort, look for an office that offers a selection of videos that you can watch on Virtual Reality glasses. These glasses make it appear as if you are watching a movie on a big screen television with surround sound. It is an excellent distraction; patients frequently laugh during procedures while using this technology.

There are many other advances to look for such as metal-free materials, Invisalign orthodontics, implants, smile design with porcelain veneers and so much more. Look for a dentist that is up on the latest and you will probably get excellent care.

Please click here for more information regarding cosmetic dentistry in the San Francisco Bay area.