Treatment of caries
For many years, a major problem was to create a tooth filling material (i.e. a filling) that would permanently bond to the tooth tissue and be resistant to pressure, chewing and abrasion. This was achieved in 50. years, when the technique of etching dental enamel with acid was invented. This resulted in the adhesion (adhesion) of enamel, dentin and the filling to each other.
What is caries?
Caries is an infectious disease caused by microorganisms caries. It is characterised by the decalcification of the hard tissues of the tooth and the putrefactive decay of its organic substrate. The main cause of dental caries is plaque, consisting of food debris and bacteria, which is deposited on the teeth after every meal. The bacteria in the plaque convert sugars supplied in the food into acids, which in turn cause minerals (calcium, phosphorus) to be washed out of the enamel. This leads to osswelling and damage to the enamel, allowing further caries development.
Sugar and tooth decay
Sugar supplied with food is necessary for plaque bacteria to produce acids and thus initiate the carious process.
NATURALLY OCCURRING SUGARS IN FOODS ARE OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARIES.
Refined sugars artificially added to foods have a destructive effect on the teeth. Therefore, it is worth bearing in mind the amount of sweets consumed, their consistency and frequency of intake (duration of time in the mouth). The worst consequences are frequent eating of sticky products that coat the teeth (toffee sweets, crisps, etc.).
The concentration of sugars in saliva is highly variable, fluctuating by up to 100 000 times in a few minutes. The bacteria in the plaque react to the increased concentration of sugars, but even a high intake of sugars, with caries-prone teeth, does not necessarily lead to the development of this disease. The prerequisite, however, is a thorough and frequent cleaning of the teeth from food residues.
Other causes of caries
Lifestyle - how we eat, how we look after our teeth, the fluoride content of water and toothpaste - also has a significant impact on the development of caries. In addition, the development of caries can be influenced by a disorder in saliva secretion called xerostomia.
Xerostomiais a condition of decreased saliva secretion accompanied by a dry mouth sensation and may occur in association with various medical conditions, as a side effect of some medications, and may also depend on the patient's mental state. It usually affects the elderly, more often women over 50. However, it is not age alone, but more often various types of deviations from the normal clinical state that cause salivary gland dysfunction. Older age predisposes to the onset of dry mouth due to the increased need for medications to induce this condition (more than 400 have been identified).
Drugs that inhibit the normal secretory function of the salivary glands are psychotropic agents, preparations for extrapyramidal diseases, those with nettle alkaloids in their composition, analgesics, antihistamines, narcotics.
Also, pathological changes in certain internal organs cause disorders of the salivary glands, resulting in both quantitative and qualitative changes in secretion. Similarly, clinical conditions, e.g. fear, neurosis, neurotic syndromes.
SALIVA HAS AN ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT, REMINERALISES SMALL CAVITIES AND RINSES AWAY FOOD DEBRIS
To some extent, susceptibility of teeth to decay is also genetically determined, an individual characteristic. It results both from a genetic predisposition and from the social conditions in which a person develops and lives.
What is tooth decay really?
You have certainly heard of tooth decay many times, but it is worth considering what it actually is and what its characteristics are. It is important to start with the fact that it is the most common disease of our teeth. It can be described as a bacterial disease of the hard tissues of the tooth. It should also be noted that it belongs to infectious diseases. Characteristic of this disease is the fact that decalcification of the hard tissues of the tooth occurs. This is followed by decay of the organic substrate of the tooth. Attemptschnica is very much a disease that is most often seen among the youngest. This is because it is most difficult to explain to them that not brushing their teeth or eating too much sugar will not have a positive effect.
Causes of caries, and care for prevention!
There are many causes of tooth decay, but the most common and familiar to us is sugar, the silent killer. If we do not pay attention to what foods we eat and in what quantities we eat them, we are in danger of starting the aforementioned disease. As mentioned earlier, we associate this disease with the youngest generation, but it is worth adding that one can contract caries at any age. It does not work in such a way that once you enter adulthood, you are safe. It is therefore worth take care of prevention. This can mainly consist of health education, regular brushing and brushing of the teeth, ensuring that the right fluoride is supplied to our mouth. We should also opt for rinses or flossing. If we take care of our teeth regularly and meticulously, we are in no danger. Read the available information at Unident Union and find out exactly how you can look after your beautiful teeth so that you are always sure of a great smile!
Does caries treatment have to hurt?
Sometimes, despite our care for our teeth, we can make mistakes. Then a situation arises when we have to face tooth decay. Tooth decay treatment does not have to mean a lot of pain, tears and crying in the patient's chair. It is worth noting that if we destroy the tooth structure, it is not able to rebuild and regenerate itself. However, treating caries can prevent it from developing further on our teeth. The main aim of treating the disease is to maintain the tooth. Clinic Unident Unionwalks with open arms to the patient, providing completely pain-free treatment. If you've always thought that visits to the dentist must mean a huge cry of pain and many tears shed, you are hugely mistaken. Take a look at the offer available on the clinic's website and trust the specialists who care about making sure you leave the surgery smiling, happy and satisfied with the result.
What exactly does caries treatment involve?
Treatment of caries involves filling the tooth. Initially, tooth tissue previously damaged by the disease must be removed. Then, the doctor places in their place appropriate materials, whose task is to bring about, at least a residual restoration of the tooth. When decay attacks the tooth much more strongly, one has to decide on root canal treatment. Dentists decide on this procedure when decay leads to soft tissue infection. It is therefore advisable to take care of your teeth from a young age.years and throughout your life. However, if a situation arises where you need to undertake treatment, be sure to choose the clinic mentioned above. Put yourself in the hands of people who know how to treat caries painlessly. Don't be afraid of the patient's chair, just go to your appointment with a smile. Painless caries treatment at the clinic is possible thanks to the highest quality anaesthesia available with them. So bet on the best possible specialists and don't regret your decision!
Trust the specialists and don't overpay!
If you think that taking care of your teeth must mean a huge amount of money spent, you are very much mistaken. Take a look at the offer at the clinic mentioned above and see for yourself that caries treatment does not have to cost you, no known how much. Put yourself in the hands of the best possible doctors who have been caring for the teeth of Poles for many years! Read the reviews that are available on the Internet and trust the people who have already left the doctor's offices satisfied more than once. See for yourself that caries treatment really can be painless. Stop fearing dentists once and for all, who only care about making sure you are never ashamed of your smile. Opt for whiteness and the fact that you will always be happy to show off your teeth! Don't leave a huge amount of money at the surgery and be sure that you will always be satisfied with the result of your treatment.
At UNIDENT UNION Clinic, we use two cavity filling techniques:
- Direct methodconsists of filling a cavity with composite material directly in the tooth. It is used for smaller and not very extensive carious lesions.
- Indirect methodinvolves the use of a prefabricated filling/inlay called an Inlay/Olany, which is prepared in the laboratory. This is the best solution for restoring missing tooth tissue. Inlays and onlays have many advantages. They are durable, aesthetic and abrasion-resistant. The restored tooth looks very natural and can continue to perform its function, especially due to the precise restoration of the anatomical shape. It is the most durable, long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing method.
One of the most important tasks of the UNIDENT UNION Clinic is to ensure in our patients the relatively smallest difference between the appearance of the restoration made and the natural tooth. In order to achieve this goal, it is essential that the optical properties, such as colour, transparency, fluorescence or opalescence of the restorative material, are similar to the analogous optical properties of the tooth tissue. There is considerable variation in the colour of human teeth and varying degrees of light transmission through enamel and dentin.
At UNIDENT UNION Clinic, we use only modern methods and materials for filling cavities.
Today, composite fillings are used to fill cavities in both anterior and posterior teeth. Small cavities are also filled with glass ionomer cement. Ceramic fillings are also becoming popular in modern dentistry, and there are also fillings made of malleable (patched) gold.
The type of filling depends on the thickness of the tooth walls. It must also be chosen according to the force exerted on the tooth during biting (a filling that is not strong enough may fall out or cause the tooth to crack). Different fillings are used for front teeth, others for back teeth. The type of filling is always decided by the dentist. Filling a tooth takes between 15 minutes and an hour. We always ensure that the filling is airtight (so that there is no gap around it through which bacteria can enter, causing secondary decay) and carefully ground down (so that it fits the bite well).
MODERN FILLINGS ARE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, DO NOT CAUSE ALLERGIES AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, CURE TOOTH DECAY
COMPOSITES
THE COMPLEX MIRACLE OF MODERN DENTAL TECHNOLOGY
Composites are cosmetic materials that have been used in dentistry for 30 years. Throughout this period, thanks to developments in plastic chemistry, more and more modern types have been emerging. Composites come in chemically cured and light cured forms. A polymerisation lamp is used to polymerise such a filling. Light-curing materials are characterised by a better cosmetic effect and durability compared to chemically-cured materials and are more easy to place. They have so-called bonding systems, which create a physico-chemical bond between the tooth tissue and the filling.
At UNIDENT UNION Clinic, we use materials that have restorative, but also restorative properties, both in terms of function and appearance of the tooth, and these include:
- the possibility of choosing the right colour, as well as translucency and refractive index,
- good adhesion to enamel,
- high crush resistance,
- strengthening of the tooth structure by embedding resin into the enamel,
- Cariostatic effect through the release of fluorine ions,
- contrast in the X-ray image.
Composite materials were usually used to fill defects in anterior teeth. Nowadays, we use new generations of composites, which are also excellent for lateral teeth.
The hybrid composite fillings used at Unident Union have a so-called "chameleon effect", which consists of an optical blending of the filling and the tooth wall. These materials are available in a variety of shades to perfectly match the tooth colour. In addition to their aesthetic advantages, they are characterised by very high hardness and abrasion resistance. The better the effect, the less visible the filling is. In order to achieve optimum aesthetic integration with the tooth tissue, the filling should be made of several shades that balance the three-dimensional colour characteristics:
- hue- purity of colour,
- chroma- colour saturation,
- value (luminous)- lighter colour (more reflected light) or darker colour (more absorbed light).
THE BETTER THE CHAMELEON EFFECT, THE MORE COMPLETE THE AESTHETIC INTEGRATION
Clinical experience with ordinary composites shows that a good chameleon effect cannot be achieved with a single shade. Other shades must be added for a better effect and acceptable aesthetics.Chameleon effectobtained with a single shade is so good that the filling not only resembles the neighbouring teeth, but actually becomes aesthetically invisible. We call this full integration. One of the main reasons for this effect is the more differentiated structure than in other composites, which naturally reflects and diffuses light. The way a natural tooth reflects light determines how its colour is seen. When all wavelengths are reflected, as from the surface of a highly polished tooth, a specular effect is revealed. The reflections of the light reflected from the internal structures of the natural tooth are modified by differentiated reflection planes. Enamel prisms, dentinal tubules, peri-canalicular dentin, intercanalicular dentin and the dentin-enamel junction reflect light differently. These complex structures absorb and reflect light in different ways. This type of reflection is called diffuse reflection and determines colour purity, saturation, brightness, translucency and opalescence. Fluorescence is the effect of UV-induced light emission through the tooth structure. The basic factor for full aesthetic integration is the differentiated internal structure. The particles of the microfiller and microinsert, a polymerised composite with ceramic grain, reflect, scatter and absorb light differently than a classic filler. The amount of each type of particle is precisely selected. As a result, the composite reproduces the natural internal reflections as in a living tooth.
The use of composites offers the possibility to use a layering technique (placing a layer of composite, modelling, curing and laying the next layer). In addition, the dentist has more time to shape the surface of the filling while it is still in a plastic state. Also, the porosity of the filling is significantly reduced and a lot of healthy tooth tissue is saved during shaping.
NANOCOMPOSITES
The term nanocomposite appeared in dentistry recently as a result of the search for a composite that would combine the properties of hybrid composites, i.e. strength and versatility, with those of microfilms - excellent aesthetics, ease of polishing and fluorescence corresponding to that of teeth.
Nanocomposites are a system for direct restorations in a layering technique. This innovative system is based on the concept of the three translucencies (opaque, dentine and enamel) and allows the use of histological knowledge (tooth structure) to create a multicoloured, vibrant restoration.
- They ideally allow the structure of the natural tooth to be reproduced.
- It provides the ideal combination of durability and aesthetics.
The nanocomposite filling adapts perfectly to the tooth colour - a chameleon effect. The better this effect is, the less visible the filling is and the more complete the aesthetic integration. The morphology of the tissues influences the optical properties that determine the appearance of the tooth. The filling should mimic these properties:
- translucency - the tooth is formed by light-transmitting and opaque tissues,
- Iridescence - when suitably illuminated, the glaze structure produces a sparkling white effect,
- fluorescence - the ability to absorb UV light and emit visible light in the blue colour range.
The nanocomposites' ability to reflect light naturally means that its colour, saturation, brightness, translucency, opalescence and fluorescence are those of a natural living tooth. Optimum aesthetic integration is achieved with a single shade.
In order to mask large fillings, discolouration or anomalies in the enamel structure (especially on anterior teeth), we use composite materials in a colour matched to the tooth. Such treatments include veneering, which involves grinding away 0.5 mm of altered enamel and applying composite material. Alternatively, an impression may first be taken, a model made and, once the enamel is etched, a composite or porcelain veneer fixed to the tooth.
COMPOSERS
Compomers are materials created by combining glass-ionomer cements with composites. Like glass-ionomers, they release fluoride, also show very good adhesion to tooth tissue and, thanks to the addition of resin, are characterised by lower abrasion and better polishability. However, they are mechanically less durable than composites, which limits their use for restoring incisal angles and edges and for filling cavities on the chewing surfaces of permanent teeth. The exceptions are deciduous teeth.
ORMOCERS
Ormoceras are organically modified ceramic materials. The matrix of these materials is based on ceramic polysiloxane. The relatively short presence of ormocers on the market means that they are still poorly understood materials. It appears that they may become an alternative to amalgams and composites in the future.
INLAY AND ONLAY
Inlays and Onlays are cosmetic fillings in the crown of a tooth that are used for large cavities. They are a better alternative to a filling in the tooth made by the traditional method. They allow the exact reconstruction of the anatomical shape (cusps, fissures of tangent points between teeth). They are made in a prosthetic laboratory on the basis of impressions taken. They are most often made of porcelain due to its universal properties, but they can also be made of gold alloys, composite materials or as complex compositions, e.g. gold and ceramics.
After fabrication in the dental laboratory, inlays and onlays are cemented into a suitably prepared cavity in the tooth. Special cements are used as the bonding material. The preparation of the tooth for inlays and onlays differs from the preparation of the cavity for a composite filling because the composite is placed in layers, while inlays and onlays are prepared in the laboratory.
The cements and resins on which these structures are set provide a perfect seal and do not leach out. The bond is very strong and durable. In addition, the extent of preparation under Inlays and Onlays is less than under prosthetic crowns. We also recommend them to patients with allergies to plastic materials or other components contained in the fillings.
Inlays and onlays have many advantages. They are durable, aesthetic and abrasion-resistant. The restored tooth looks very natural and can continue to perform its function especially due to the precise restoration of the anatomical shape. It strengthens the tooth by 75%, a traditional filling only fixes the strength of the tooth in 50%. The average lifespan of a filling is approximately 5-7 years and the lifespan of an Inlay- Olana is 10 years.
Advantages and disadvantages of Inlays/Onlays
Pros:
- Very aesthetically pleasing,
- They are more durable than traditional fillings, due to the fact that they are firmly attached to the tooth with resin adhesives,
- They more accurately restore the anatomical shape of the tooth crown,
- They are an alternative to traditional filling when it proves impossible to carry out,
- They are not subject to discolouration,
- They are suitable for the reconstruction of large cavities and can, in some cases, be an alternative to making prosthetic crowns; the restoration requires less preparation than with prosthetic crowns,
- This is a long-term reconstruction,
- Hypersensitivity to external influences does not usually occur,
- Inlay/Onlay made of porcelain is characterised by perfect aesthetics,
- Inlay/Onlay made of gold reproduces the shape perfectly, has a very good marginal seal, has a bactericidal effect, but is metallic in colour.
Disadvantages:
- High price.
Inlay and Onlay materials:
PORCELANA
Porcelain inlays are currently the most modern solution. The indirect method, used to model the cavity in the laboratory, allows an almost perfect reproduction of the anatomical shape of the tooth and its contact points. Porcelain cast or pressed under pressure gives even better results.
COMPOSITES
Made by the laboratory from the toughest materials with low abrasion.
