Dental x-rays are essential if we are going to help you protect your oral health. Dr. Garrison can’t treat what she can’t see, and the only way she can see inside your teeth is with dental x-rays.

We only take x-rays when necessary, and when we do, we use digital x-rays. This modern technology produces about 80 percent less radiation than older film x-rays and lets us see dental problems in much greater detail.

Dr. Garrison will share your x-ray images with you on your chairside monitor, and you can see for yourself what the problem is. When Dr. Garrison explains the treatment she recommends, you’ll understand why it's necessary and how it will benefit your oral health.

We can also easily store your digital x-rays on our secure in-house network, so we can refer to them quickly as needed. With your permission, we can also send the images electronically to specialists and insurance companies for review.

It's easy to achieve a healthy, problem-free smile when you feel empowered and in control of your oral health care. At Groveport Smiles, we know that patients of ours who feel informed about their dental needs tend to enjoy better oral health.

Intraoral cameras are one way that Dr. Garrison involves you in the process. The small digital camera lights up the inside of your mouth and takes pictures of your teeth. Since the images are digital, they appear instantly on your chairside monitor.

You won’t believe how much detail you can see! It will be very apparent to you what the problem is and why we need to treat it to protect your oral health. We can save still pictures of your mouth that we put in your patient file. They are readily available to us to use for reference or to share with insurance companies and specialists with your approval.

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Many people still dread the thought of getting a root canal, even though it’s not a complicated procedure. Today there are many ways we can improve the comfort of root canals. One example is sedation dentistry that helps you relax and feel safe and comfortable during your treatment.

Another is by using rotary endodontics. This state-of-the-art technology eliminates several of the things that patients dislike about root canals. First, instead of the manual stainless steel files used in the past, rotary endodontics use a nickel-titanium tip. This material is more flexible than manual files and makes your root canal faster and more comfortable. This technology also helps ensure that Dr. Garrison can remove all the infected pulp from your tooth.

Dental x-rays show us what’s happening inside a specific tooth or teeth. But panoramic dental x-rays give Dr. Garrison a complete view of all your teeth and upper and lower jaws.

Seeing a single image of your mouth allows us to see all your teeth and your jaw structure. This information is especially valuable when Dr. Garrison is planning root canals, tooth extractions, dental implant placement, and orthodontic treatment.

Panoramic x-rays have other benefits too. Regular digital x-rays are taken inside your mouth, but this can be uncomfortable for young children, those with a strong gag reflex, and patients with special needs.

Panoramic x-rays are taken outside of your mouth. Just stand still in front of the machine as it rotates in a semi-circle around your head.

Dental anxiety is a widespread problem that affects millions of people. If it’s severe enough, this fear can make it impossible to visit the dentist when you need to. At Groveport Smiles, we do everything to ensure that you get quality dental even if you’re a nervous patient.

Nitrous oxide is a way to help you relax. It's a type of sedation that is very mild and safe, even for children. Nitrous is a gas that you breathe in through a comfortable nasal mask. Very soon, you’ll start to feel drowsy and very relaxed. You won't "go to sleep, but your anxiety will melt away, and the activity around you fade into the background.

The effects of nitrous oxide last only as long as you are inhaling it. Shortly after we turn off the nitrous, you’ll start to feel refreshed and alert. You’ll be able to safely to drive yourself from your appointment and return to your usual daily routine.