Our technology
The tools that make your visit faster, clearer, and safer
Modern dentistry runs on better imaging, better sterilization, and better information sharing. Here's what you'll find at the Thomson Drive office.
Why technology matters in a small practice
Good tools don't replace a good dentist — they let a good dentist do better work, with less guesswork. Every piece of equipment in the Thomson Drive office is here for one of three reasons: it gives you a clearer picture of what's happening, it shortens your time in the chair, or it keeps you safer. If a new gadget doesn't move one of those needles, it doesn't earn a spot.
Digital X-rays
Our digital sensors replace traditional film. The image appears on the chairside monitor in seconds — no chemical processing, no waiting around. There are two reasons that matters to you:
- Lower radiation. Digital X-rays use 80 to 90% less radiation than film. A standard set of bitewings is on par with the background radiation from a short flight to Charlotte.
- Clearer images. The dentist can zoom, brighten, and adjust contrast in real time — catching early decay or bone loss that film often hides.
- Instant sharing. If you're referred to a specialist or moving away from Lynchburg, your records travel electronically — no envelopes, no delays.
Intraoral cameras
Most dental decisions used to happen with you staring at the ceiling, trusting the dentist's word. The intraoral camera changes that. It's a pen-sized camera that photographs the inside of your mouth and projects the image on a chairside monitor you can see clearly. When the dentist points out a cracked filling or a small cavity between two molars, you see exactly what they're describing — and you decide whether to treat it now or watch it.
Digital impressions and scanning
For most crown, bridge, night guard, and aligner cases, a small handheld scanner replaces the tray of gooey putty most people remember from childhood. The scanner builds a 3D model of your teeth in a few minutes — no gagging, no waiting for impression material to set. The scan transmits to the dental lab the same day, which shaves three to five days off your turnaround. (For Invisalign treatment planning specifically, we use iTero — more on that on the iTero scanning page.)
Sterilization
This part doesn't usually come up at the dinner table, but it matters more than any single piece of equipment in the office. Here's the process every reusable instrument goes through between you and the next patient:
- 1. Ultrasonic cleaning. Instruments soak in a high-frequency cleaning bath that removes debris from places a brush can't reach.
- 2. Inspection & pouching. Each instrument is individually inspected and sealed in a sterilization pouch with a chemical indicator.
- 3. Autoclave at 273°F. The sealed pouches go into a pressurized steam autoclave that reaches 273 degrees Fahrenheit — hot enough to kill every microorganism on earth.
- 4. Weekly biological testing. Every week, we run a biological indicator (a sealed vial of bacterial spores) through the autoclave to verify it's still doing its job. Results are logged.
- 5. Single-use disposables. Gloves, masks, saliva ejectors, suction tips, water cups, and patient bibs are opened in front of you and thrown away after one use.
Records that stay with you
Your chart, your X-rays, your photos, your treatment notes — all of it belongs to you. If you move away from Lynchburg, switch dentists, or just want a copy for your records, we'll email you a digital file the same day you ask. Records that are easy to share make for better care across every office you ever visit.
Common questions
Frequently asked
- How much less radiation do digital X-rays use?
- Roughly 80 to 90% less than traditional film X-rays. A full set of digital bitewings is on par with the background radiation you'd absorb on a short flight. We also use lead-lined aprons and thyroid collars at every X-ray appointment.
- What is an intraoral camera and what does it do?
- It's a pen-sized camera that lets us photograph the inside of your mouth in close-up. You'll see what we see on the chairside monitor — a cracked filling, a small cavity starting between teeth, a gum recession spot. It turns guesswork into a conversation.
- Do you use digital impressions instead of putty?
- Yes — for most crown, bridge, and aligner cases. A small handheld scanner builds a 3D model of your teeth in a few minutes, no gagging on putty. The scan goes directly to the lab electronically, which shaves days off lab turnaround time.
- How do you sterilize instruments between patients?
- Every reusable instrument goes through ultrasonic cleaning, pouching, and steam autoclave sterilization at 273°F. Each load is monitored with biological indicators weekly. Single-use items (gloves, masks, suction tips, water cups) are opened in front of you and discarded after one use.
- Is the radiation from a 3D cone-beam CT safe?
- Modern dental CBCT machines use focused low-dose imaging — a single implant scan is roughly equivalent to a few days of background radiation. We only order a CBCT when it changes the treatment plan, like for implant placement or impacted tooth surgery.
- Can I see my own X-rays?
- Yes — we pull them up on the chairside monitor at every exam and walk through what's there. You can also request a copy any time, and we'll email or hand you a digital file. Your records belong to you.
- Do you share images with specialists if I'm referred?
- When a referral is needed (oral surgery, orthodontics, periodontics in complex cases), we send your digital X-rays, CBCT scans, and intraoral photos electronically so the specialist has everything before you walk in. Saves you a second imaging session and the specialist sees what we see.
- What software do you use for digital records?
- Denticon practice management, integrated with our digital imaging suite. Your chart, X-rays, photos, and treatment notes are all in one secure place, accessible only to the clinical team treating you.
We'd love to see you on Thomson Drive
Call, message, or schedule online — whichever's easiest for you.