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Dental Caries Treatment: Battling Tooth Decay

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Ishika cmi
Dental Caries Treatment: Battling Tooth Decay

Tooth decay, also known as dental caries, is one of the most common oral health issues faced worldwide. Left untreated, dental caries can cause serious pain and discomfort. However, with proper diagnosis and treatment, tooth decay can be stopped from progressing further.


Causes of Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in the mouth that feed on sugar and produce acids. Over time, these acids erode away the hard enamel on the teeth. The main culprits that cause tooth decay include:

- Sugar: Bacteria feed on sugar and produce acid as a byproduct. Frequent sugar consumption increases the risk of decay.

- Poor Oral Hygiene: Not brushing and flossing properly allows food debris and bacteria to accumulate on teeth. This debris breaks down into acid under the influence of bacteria.

- Dry Mouth: Conditions like dehydration, certain medications, and Sjögren's syndrome can reduce saliva flow. Saliva helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles. Lack of saliva increases decay risk.

Treatment Based on Decay Severity

Dentists treat tooth decay based on how deep the decay has penetrated into the tooth structure. Deeper decay requires more invasive treatment procedures.

- Early Decay: Catching decay early allows for minimal intervention procedures like topical fluoride treatment or dental sealants. These barriers protect the enamel surface from acid attacks.

- Moderate Decay: If decay has reached the outer layer of the dentin, a small filling (dental restoration) may be needed. The dentist removes the decayed tooth structure and places a composite (tooth-colored) or amalgam (silver) filling.

- Advanced Decay: Deep cavities that involve the inner layers of dentin require larger fillings after complete removal of decay. Temporary fillings may be used initially until permanent treatment can be done.

- Extreme Decay: In cases with pulp (nerve) exposure, root canal treatment may be necessary to save the tooth. The infected pulp is removed, and the hollowed interior is sealed off. A post-root canal filling rounds off the treatment. Extracting badly decayed teeth becomes inevitable if treatment is not possible.

Preventing Recurrence With RCT

Even after root canal treatment, there remains a possibility of reinfection if adequate measures are not taken. Dentists take multiple steps to prevent recontamination:

- Thorough Cleaning and Shaping: All infected debris is meticulously removed from the root canal system.

- Hermetic Obturation: The hollowed interior is tightly filled with inert gutta-percha or bioceramic materials to prevent re-entry of bacteria.

- Final Restoration: A permanent filling such as a post-retained crown protects the treated tooth and seals it off permanently from the oral cavity.

- Periodic Checkups: Follow-up visits every 6-12 months help detect any recurrence early before it worsens. Additional treatment or extraction may be advised if signs emerge.

New Advancements in Dental Caries Management

Dentistry continues progressing with novel techniques that minimize treatment invasiveness:

- Hall Technique: This conservative method saves tooth structure by selectively removing only the decay-affected area and sealing the margins to prevent further spread.

- Ozone Therapy: Using triatomic oxygen (O3) as an alternative to drills, it disinfects and decontaminates deep cavities without drilling.

- Nd:YAG Laser: A precision laser rapidly eliminates decay while preserving healthy tooth tissues thanks to its selective ablation properties.

- Silver Diamine Fluoride: This color-changing liquid arrests active decay progression by promoting remineralization on enamel and dentin surfaces via fluorine ions.

- Resin Infiltration: Rather than drilling, it fills in microscopic gaps on early lesions with clear resin to deny bacteria further access to the tooth.

These minimally invasive methods are revolutionizing caries management with superior esthetics and conservation of healthy tooth structure. Dental caries need not always require drills and fillings when timely intervention is possible via such novel techniques.

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