Dr. James Kim utilizes the latest dental technology to better diagnose patients and to make all procedures as comfortable as possible.

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Digital X-rays and KaVo Dental Laser in Wausau, WI

Dental technology is constantly evolving, and innovative procedures and diagnostic equipment are now available that can significantly improve your dental experience. At our Wausau dental office, we embrace state-of-the-art new technology – especially technology that allows us to diagnose and prevent dental conditions comfortably, quickly, and safely!

Woman at dental exam | Digital X-Rays Wausau WI Two innovative technology advances that we use are digital x-rays and the KaVo DIAGNOdent laser system. Through our use of this technology, we can minimize your exposure to radiation and catch potential problems early, when they can be solved with conservative, painless, minimally invasive procedures.

Digital X-Rays in 54401

X-rays are a crucial diagnostic tool in practically every medical field. In dentistry, x-rays help us to see inside your teeth and underneath your gums so we can catch cavities and other issues that may not be visible to the naked eye.

Because x-rays use radiation and radiation builds up in your body over time, we rely on digital x-rays, which expose you to up to 90% less radiation than traditional film x-rays. In addition to minimizing your radiation exposure, digital x-rays provide even more benefits:

The images are available in seconds, which helps to get you on your way faster
We can zoom in to the image for better diagnostics
The image can be viewed chairside and enhanced to aid in education
No chemicals are required for processing, which helps to protect the environment

KaVo DIAGNOdent Laser

Did you know that cavities can occur within your tooth and not just on the tooth’s surface? When cavities are hidden beneath the enamel, they can be almost impossible to see with the naked eye. While they may show up on x-rays, it can be difficult to determine the extent of the cavity or what type of treatment is necessary. In this situation, it may become necessary to perform an exploratory procedure to determine both the existence of the cavity and the extent of the damage.

The KaVo DIAGNOdent laser allows us to “see” and accurately diagnose cavities that occur beneath the surface of your tooth as well as determine exactly how deep surface cavities go. Using this new technology, we can use the least invasive treatment available, and we don’t have to rely on exploratory procedures. The examination is fast and painless plus the laser does not use any type of radiation to obtain its readings. Prepping your teeth for the examination requires nothing more than your regular cleaning.

One of our goals is to protect and preserve as much of your own healthy tooth structure as we can. This allows you to enjoy comfortable dental care with a focus on conservative treatments. When we can identify potential problems as early as possible, we may be able to use simple preventive measures that stop the potential cavity from developing any further.

Call Our Dental Office in Wausau, WI Today

To schedule your recommended cleaning and examination with Dr. James Kim, please contact our Wausau, WI dental office today.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you need to take x-rays so often?

X-rays are one of our most effective diagnostic tools. They help us to see what is going on beneath the surface of your teeth and underneath your gums. This allows us to identify small problems, which often have no symptoms at all, so we can treat them before they develop into big, painful problems.

We understand that many of our patients might be concerned about the amount of radiation that they might be exposed to because of dental x-rays. Rest assured that even traditional film dental x-rays expose you to a very small amount of radiation. At our office, we take your safety a step further and rely on digital x-rays, which expose you to up to 90% less radiation than even traditional film x-rays!

We also do our best to only take x-rays when necessary. This will depend a great deal on your individual needs. If you are prone to cavities or other problems – or we are tracking an ongoing concern like bone loss, we will likely recommend more frequent x-rays. If you are overall healthy, however, with few dental concerns, we can take x-rays less frequently. We will still recommend x-rays on a schedule, however, because they are the best way to catch problems early so they can be treated with simple, conservative treatments.

My tooth isn't hurting. How do you know I have a cavity?

While pain is frequently a signal that something is wrong, teeth are unusual. In most cases, no discomfort is noticed at all until a dental problem is well-developed. In fact, pain is often one of the last symptoms that people experience when they have a cavity.

Here’s the problem with this – by the time you feel pain, the nerve of your tooth may be involved, and the problem can no longer be solved with conservative measures. You may need a root canal and a crown to treat the damage and save the tooth.

At our office, we prefer to practice proactive, preventive care. This means that we want to head off problems early while conservative and simple treatment is still an option. Our patients greatly prefer this approach as well!

To help us with this, we rely on advanced technology such as digital x-rays and the KaVo DIAGNOdent laser to identify tiny cavities or cavities hidden under the enamel, which are not visible by the naked eye.

Regular preventive care appointments are a necessity because these provide you with an opportunity for us to catch small problems before they can grow into big problems. This means simpler, more comfortable, less costly dentistry, which is something that makes everyone happy!

Meet Our Doctor:

James S. Kim DDS

Dr. James S. Kim received his Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University of Chicago and his DDS from the prestigious University of Illinois College of Dentistry, also in Chicago. He has maintained a private practice in Wausau with an emphasis in family, cosmetic, implant, and sedation dentistry since 2000.

Dr. Kim is committed to staying current in the dental field, attending 150-200 hours of continuing education per year. Additionally, he has trained with some of the best clinicians in the world such as Dr. Frank Spear at The Seattle Institute ...