Alexandria Dental Technology

High Tech Dentistry

High tech dentistry is the modern era’s way of minimizing discomfort and maximizing oral health. By embracing innovation, Old Town Smiles is constantly updating the tools of the trade to deliver quality results to our most cherished assets: our patients.

From 3D scanners to zirconia crowns and state-of-the-art oral cancer screenings devices, Old Town Smiles is new school connected. We are conveniently located at the capital of advanced dentistry: Alexandria, Virginia. Dr. Seema Ahmed proudly serves the needs of Washington, D.C. and beyond. To benefit from the doctors’ expertise and compassion, please schedule a consultation online or call (703) 836-7000.

CEREC Restorations

Traditional dental restorations used to require multiple trips to the doctor. First, you had to have a physical mold taken of your bite imprint. Then, the mold informed a technical team how to construct the necessary crown, veneer, or implant. The restoration was sent back to the dentist and adjusted as necessary before being implanted in the patient’s mouth.

Now, we can bypass several of those steps, courtesy of our current technology. CEREC restorations leverage the convenience of digital photography to capture an image of your damaged tooth as a starting point. The visual is transformed into a 3D model, from which a milling machine crafts a perfect replica of your restoration.

CEREC stands for chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramics.^[1] The CEREC device harnesses diamond-tipped sculpting tools to create your restoration using computer-guided controls. Old Town Smiles adds a human touch by applying your fully formed restoration to your problem area with invisible resin cement. It’s almost a shame that nobody will be able to tell how much work went into your brilliant new smile!

Digital X-Rays

Take a moment to consider how many more pictures you take these days as compared with 20 years ago. You have a camera on your phone, in your pocket, every day. Now think about all of the time and money you save by not rushing to the Fotomat every time you want to get a roll of film developed. Multiply that sense of convenience and frugality times a thousand and you are starting to get the picture of why digital X-rays are so beneficial to modern dentistry.

y foregoing the need for wasteful printouts, Old Town Smiles puts the power of X-ray technology in your hands. We share our digital images with you the second we capture them. Our technicians are able to zoom in, swivel around, and chart the landscape of your dental needs.

Digital X-rays are sharp, versatile, and safe. In fact, patients experience 90% less X-ray exposure than they would under traditional X-ray methods.^[2] To schedule your next dental X-ray appointment, contact us online. We are X-cited to meet you!

I-CAT Cone Beam 3D Scanner

Your mouth is so much more than two rows of teeth. The art and science of dentistry entail gum health, proper hydration, and an overall study of the ways in which your teeth develop. To get a complete picture of your oral health, we bring new dimensions to digital imaging.

The i-CAT cone beam 3D scanner device maps the fascinating complexities of your mouth. Surpassing the limitations of traditional 2D imaging techniques, our 3D scanner can accurately study soft tissue, ligaments, and other vital support structures that influence your dental well being.^[3]

The i-CAT system is invaluable when it comes to diagnosing sleep apnea, wisdom tooth complications, and lesions below the gum line. To discuss how 3D imaging can bring your dental health into sharp focus, call (703) 836-7000 and connect with a friendly, attentive Old Town Smiles representative.

VELscope

Oral cancer has the power to confound us. It is incredibly treatable in its early stages, yet often does not display any symptoms until its later stages. That is why Old Town Smiles counters cancer with technology. Our VELscope device is able to shine a light on cancer in its formative manifestations.^[4]

The bright blue beam emanating from the handheld VELscope lens is entirely painless. It searches out otherwise invisible pre-cancerous tissue, illuminating it like a blacklight reacts to phosphorescence. If you want to set your mind at ease, open your mouth (and your heart) to the diagnostic wonder of VELscope.

Zirconia Crowns

When you need dental reconstruction, you demand the strength of metal and the aesthetics of seamless, white porcelain. Zirconia crowns combine the cosmetic subtlety of white metal with the biocompatibility of safe, stable material.^[5]