Saturday, June 13, 2009

Diagnodent

Diagnodent is a new dental science that can detect the smallest amounts of tooth decay. This method is far more effective than previous treatments that have historically had difficulty locating cavities that hide in the pits and grooves of molars. In the past, dentists had to use by X-rays to find these cavities, but even then sometimes the very smallest of cavities were still t0o hard to detect.

Diagnodent is far more sophisticated. It uses a laser to scan the teeth. This laser consists of several wavelengths of light, including fluorescent light, which possesses a very unique quality. When it strikes a cavity, fluorescent light bounces off and returns to a sensor, which in turn converts its findings into a numeric readout. If the Diagnodent laser detects an actual cavity, it makes an audible sound.

People often ask us why such a sophisticated piece of technology like Diagnodent had to be invented to begin with just for the sake of finding cavities. The answer may be surprising to you. Detecting cavities is no longer easy. They are smaller than ever before because fluoride in city water supplies has changed caused tooth enamel to become much harder than it was in previous centuries. While it is true that fluoride successfully strengthens teeth against larger cavities, smaller pockets of tooth decay are still able are much, much harder to find. If these cavities do gain a foothold, they often penetrate directly into the dentin layer before they are finally discovered.

Diagnodent is a painless procedure, so if you are one of among the many people who simply cannot stand to have a dental probe in their mouths, you will certainly appreciate the benefits of laser technology. The comfort zone that the laser creates is simply amazing, because it makes going to the dentist a quick, simple, and painless experience.

Diagnodent is often used hand-in-hand with dental X-rays. X-rays are still very good at finding cavities between teeth, near the gumline, and close to tooth roots. However, they miss smaller cavities on the surface many times. When a laser is used as a complement to dental X-rays, then even the tiniest developing cavities do not escape from detection.

Whenever decay is found in its very early stages, dentists can treat it with far less expense and far less complicated treatment. Decay in its very early stages can be removed with micro-dentistry and air abrasion without having anesthetize the mouth and drill a hole in the tooth. Cosmetic dental bonding can then be used to repair the surface of the tooth after the decay has been removed. Dental bonding is much more natural-looking in appearance and more resilient to further wear on the teeth than standard metal fillings.

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