Tooth decay is a fairly common problem and probably the main reason that people end up in the dentist chair. Dentists find tooth decay by three different methods. Observation, Cavity-detecting dye and X-rays. Through observation, they poke and prode the areas that they think might have decay with a little metal tool called an explorer. Cavity-detecting dye is rinsed over the teeth and sticks to the decaying areas so that you can tell where they are.

Once a dentist finds out where they are, he has to get rid of the decaying areas and put in a filling to prevent further decay. First, he will give you a local anesthesia to numb the area if necessary. Then, he will use a drill to remove the decay from the tooth. Sometimes they use lasers and air abrasion to remove the decay instead. Once the decay is removed, he will prepare the space in the right shape for the the filling. Then he will fill it with some type of material depending on what type of filling you have agreed on. After the filling is put into place, your dentist will use burs to finish and polish the tooth. And presto! You have a brand new filling and no more tooth decay!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS