Dentist Castle Rock How Air-Abrasion Systems are Used

Serving as an alternative to a traditional dental drill, an air-abrasion system is primarily used to treat small cavities, preserving healthy tooth structure without the use of a local anesthetic. Air-abrasion allows for the precise removal of decay through a blast of pellets consisting of air and aluminum oxide. The air-abrasion technique can also be used to help repair old tooth restorations by accessing difficult areas such as those between the teeth. These particles are made of silica, aluminum oxide, or a baking soda mixture and are propelled toward the tooth surface by compressed air or a gas that runs through the dental hand piece say Dentist Castle Rock. During air abrasion, an instrument that works like a mini sandblaster is used to spray away decay. During air abrasion, a fine stream of particles is aimed at the decayed portion of the tooth. Small particles of decay on the tooth surface are removed as the stream of particles strikes them. The particles of decay are then “suctioned” away. In skilled hands, air abrasion equipment can be a useful adjunct to a dentist who wishes to do conservative dental procedures. The ability to cut small and shallow holes may make local anesthesia unnecessary.

Use

Air abrasion is most commonly used to prepare teeth for composites, or “white fillings.” Air abrasion also helps to repair cracks and discolored teeth, to prepare teeth for bonding procedures, such as sealants, and for various other procedures. Air abrasion works well to repair chipped, fractured, or worn teeth; to prepare teeth for cosmetic surgery; remove stains and spots; repair old fillings and sealants; and repair broken crowns and bridges. Your general dentist, who has been trained in restorative dentistry techniques, will perform any procedures that use air-abrasion technology. Air Abrasion is not advised for removing old silver fillings, but it can remove white fillings rather well, and is ideal for teeth that have never been filled, such as in children. The downside is that the devices do blow powder into the mouth, but most people are not bothered by the gritty feeling. When they rinse, all is back to normal. Mums and dads are always impressed when the technology is demonstrated, and those who hate needles or drills are truly appreciative. It’s not a panacea for everything (such as deep fillings), but it’s a great extra option that suits a lot of dentists and their patients. Ask your dentist if he or she uses air-abrasion equipment and if this technique is right for you says Dentist Castle Rock.

Dentist Castle Rock How Air-Abrasion Systems are Used

Injuries can Occur

Because the machine cuts so quickly and does not touch the tooth while cutting, the operator can only gauge the cut after it is made. Dentists normally rely upon touch to know when they have removed softer decayed material and reached harder sound tooth structure beneath. But air abrasion systems do not enable the dentist to feel the depth or “softness” of tooth structure, and a fog of particles obscures the operator’s vision. Also, the stream of abrasive particles is one-directional. Rotary tools stop cutting instantly when you lift them from the tooth. The potential hazards of air abrasion systems are excessive frictional heat, major soft tissue damage, air embolism, particle showers with aspiration, and vaporization of mercury if the machine is used to remove amalgam fillings says Dentist Castle Rock. To cut the right and left sides of a hole the hand piece of the instrument must be stopped, reversed and restarted. In contrast, rotary tools cut in all directions using the same positioning. The heat generated by an air abrasion system can injure the dental pulp, creating a need for a root-canal treatment. Further, heat and friction can cause amalgam to decompose and release mercury vapor. Air abrasion offers considerable potential for abuse. Overtreatment has been reported among people covered by insurance programs, particularly Medicaid, and several state dental boards are investigating this problem.

Benefits

Patients like the near absence of noise, and the total absence of vibration. There is never any burning smell as the teeth cannot get hot. Properly used, air abrasion often does not require a ‘shot’. You can imagine how disappointed folks are when they find they can have treatment without an injection, and feel no pain. The buzz words in surgery now are ‘minimally invasive’. While the medics look at ways of doing things through keyholes, dentists are also excited by earlier more delicate interventions on teeth explains Dentist Castle Rock. Air abrasion excels at doing delicate work. Ideally, early decay should be spotted by laser diagnosis. This is long before anything can be seen on an x-ray film, or visually. The laser readings are recorded in the dental chart at each check-up. Sometimes it becomes clear that diet and cleaning advice is not working, and the laser readings are inexorably increasing. If someone is clearly at risk from decay, and the bugs are winning, how nice to have the option of ‘micro dentistry’ using air abrasion! The air abrasion device may be used to gently remove the areas of very early decay before the hole can even be seen. Children benefit especially, as they feel so little, and the extra cleaning means that their fissure sealants are placed quickly, and with a better bond. Much smaller holes can be filled earlier in this way, rather than waiting until the hole is much bigger, or worse, cutting lots of healthy tooth to get to a small hole.

Dentist Castle Rock How Air-Abrasion Systems are Used