Family Dentist and Children’s Dentist in Los Alamitos

The Progress of Tooth Decay

Over the past several years, widespread use of fluoride has made the outer enamel of the tooth more decay resistant. Unfortunately, small nooks and crannies on the chewing surface are still susceptible to decay. They are often smaller than a single toothbrush bristle, making it difficult to completely clean the tooth.

When decay reaches the softer dentin it frequently blooms into a large cavity. By the time this decay is detected, it is deep within the tooth and has the potential to cause damage to the nerve.

Air Abrasion Dentistry…

Air abrasion dentistry is a conservative, less traumatic alternative to the high-speed drill. It allows your doctor to selectively remove decay, leaving more healthy tooth structures. The procedure can often be done without anesthesia. Without a shot you will have fewer visits to your dentist, because he can often do more than one cavity restoration at a time.

Air abrasion dentistry can help your dentist find hidden decay. The very fine and narrow abrasive stream can remove just the stain and debris in the “nooks and crannies” of your teeth. Once these areas are cleaned, a special cavity-detecting dye can show where the decay is actively destroying tooth structure. Your dentist can use the same air abrasion instrument to remove this decay and then restore the tooth with the appropriate filling material. Diamond Dental Los Alamitos CA is experienced in air abrasion dentistry.

Courtesy of Crystalmark Dental.