TRANSFORMING SMILES
HOW DR. JACQUES DOUECK COMBINES HIS DECADES OF DENTAL EXPERIENCE
WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO HELP HIS PATIENTS ONE SMILE AT A TIME.
Dr. Doueck’s patients have long learned that together with the intuition and precision built over his years in practice, they benefit from the latest, and always safest, innovations of the dental world.
“I am in a unique position,” Dr. Doueck confides. “Serving as a clinical consultant for the Dental Advisor, an independent research group, allows me to get the first glimpse of advances and innovations in dentistry. I am therefore able to implement the latest dental technology before many others.”
Dr. Doueck’s practice was already drawing attention in its infancy. In 1979, just two years after he opened, New Jersey’s prestigious Asbury Park Press highlighted his artistic skills in cosmetic bonding and porcelain laminate veneers in a full-page feature article. A porcelain veneer, also known as a porcelain laminate, is a thin shell of ceramic that is custom designed and ‘bonded,’ or cemented, onto the front side of a patient’s tooth. Porcelain veneers can be made as thin as a contact lens and placed over existing teeth, removing minimal tooth structure.
Making long-lasting changes to one’s teeth always comes with a level of anxiety, and making such decisions often involve a serious hurdle for patients. Dr. Doueck turned to technology—a field known as cosmetic imaging—to help patients overcome the uncertainty.
“People like surprises on their birthdays, but not in the dental office,” Dr. Doueck shares. “That is where cosmetic imaging comes into play. It gives a person the opportunity to see the end result before we even get started. A patient with severely worn front teeth, who needed caps, was able to visualize the exact length that he felt comfortable with before any work was started. He was able to ‘see’ his new smile and take home a ‘before and after’ photo for his family to see. Using the photos and model of the changes allowed the lab to duplicate the exact length in the caps, and he was delighted. He knew he was in control of the final results. It is this level of control that patients appreciate.”
Dr. Doueck uses sophisticated photography for diagnostics as well, which effectively picks up where x-rays leave off.
“We use technology to take away the guesswork,” Dr. Doueck shares. “At every checkup, we use a High Definition camera with high-power magnification. It is amazing how much more detail we can see. We can even email a photo to insurance companies to explain why treatment is needed. Photo documentation can increase the chance of insurance approval, especially for conditions that may not show up on x-ray.”
Dr. Doueck also utilizes DiagnodentTM lasers, which exposes cavities that are otherwise hard to find.
“In the past, a sharp dental explorer was the only way to diagnose certain early cavities,” Dr. Doueck recalls. “Today, the magnification camera, digital x-rays, and the DiagnodentTM Laser have proven to be far more accurate at finding and confirming cavities.”
Lasers for cavities are one of the most revolutionary inventions Dr. Doueck uses is transforming the experience of visiting the dentist for many of his patients.
“SoleaTM lasers is making it possible for us to fix cavities without having to drill or make the patient numb,” Dr. Doueck relates. “The laser is much more powerful and at the same time much gentler. The new technology allows me to clean cavities faster, and we use it for adults and children. For kids, these pleasant early experiences will carry them into their adult lives with a positive attitude towards dentistry – no pain and no numbness. What used to be a 30-minute appointment can now often be completed in 10 minutes.”
When you do need to be numb, the WandTM, a computerized anesthetic system, is another major advance. The tooth is numb without the lip or tongue being numb.
“Helping people become completely satisfied with their smiles—in the most comfortable way possible,” he concludes. “This is the most rewarding part of my work.”
Dr. Doueck’s office is located at 563 Kings Highway.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 718-339-7982.