Smooth Surface Cavity Treatment

Smooth surface caries is treated in one visit, deep caries requires two visits, in especially difficult cases – three or more. Caries is a lesion of tooth enamel and dentin. The first disease symptom is darkening of enamel. If caries is not treated, softening of the hard tooth tissues is diagnosed in the future. Demineralization and the formation of a carious cavity are found. The disease causes are bacteria that must be removed during daily brushing.

Statistics convinces of the widespread disease prevalence:

• 95–98% of the population has filled teeth;
• by adulthood, carious cavities are observed in 80% of cases.

Unfortunately, often people visit the dentist only in advanced stages, after they begin to feel pain. The carious lesions like smooth surface caries in the early stages is treated quickly, efficiently and inexpensively.

Types of caries

Let’s consider the main criteria for the caries classification.

According to the depth of tooth damage, it is distinguished:

• caries in the stage of enamel darkening. Dark spots appear on the tooth surface. Over time, pigmentation intensifies, but no visible damage is noted;
• smooth surface. Due to the process of demineralization, defects appear on the surface layer of enamel, but dentine does not occur;
• medium dentinal caries;
• deep, the lesion affects the entire dentin layer, pulp inflammation begins.

Caries is distinguished as primary and secondary. The first form means that previously the lesion site was not treated, the second indicates that the carious cavity appeared under the filling or dental crown.

Depending on the type of affected tissue, there are:

• caries enamel;
• dentin;
• surface of the tooth root.

According to the degree of localization, caries is considered cervical (the lesion is located near the gums), fissure (occurs in natural dental pit), interdental (interproximal). The latter disease often affects the front teeth.

The method of treatment depends on the type of disease.

Indications and contraindications

Indications for the disease treatment are visual and tactile. The first group includes:

• discoloration, pigmentation of enamel;
• darkening of the cervical segment;
• enamel splinter;
• a dark gap located on the border of the sealant;
• carious cavity.

Tactile indications include a painful reaction to the hot, cold, sweet, salty.

General contraindications for the treatment of caries are:

• first and third trimesters of pregnancy;
• acute respiratory infections, herpes in the acute stage;
• acute stage of periodontal disease, accompanied by severe bleeding of the gums.

Treatment methods including smooth surface cavity treatment

Not so long ago, the treatment of “holes” in the teeth was associated exclusively with a drilling. It was the very tool that made patients afraid of dentists. Global changes in the dental industry have reversed the idea of dental treatment. Today, caries is treated without pain, effectively and comfortably for patients.

You can do without a drill in cases of smooth surface caries. The main applied methods are:

• infiltration is a microinvasive method applicable to lesions in the spot stage or after wearing braces. The focus is eliminated by chemical-mechanical treatment;
• ozone therapy. The essence of this method consists in exposure to harmful bacteria and remineralization, carried out without anesthesia and drilling;
• air abrasive treatment. The carious cavity is affected by an air stream with abrasive impurities, as a result of which the affected tissues are knocked out and harm is not exposed on healthy ones;
• laser treatment, in which tissue heating does not occur. The method is recommended for pregnant women, children, people with acute sensitivity to vibration.