A new guideline by the American Dental Association (ADA), a leading authority on oral health, says treating tooth decay can be better if less of the original tooth is removed.
This sounds a bit complicated, but it’s simpler than you might think.
Tooth decay is what happens when parts of your tooth get damaged by having too many sweets or not brushing enough.
Over time, this damage can get worse, leading to pain or even tooth loss. Dentists usually treat this by removing the bad parts and replacing them with materials like fillings or caps.
What’s New in the Guideline?
The new ADA guideline is like a set of rules for dentists. It gives them 16 tips on how to deal with tooth decay. It’s based on a review of around 300 scientific studies and is a first of its kind.
One key tip is using a method called “conservative carious tissue removal” or CTR for short. In this method, the dentist removes the damaged parts of the tooth while keeping as much of the healthy part as possible.
It seems this method is less likely to cause problems like exposing the nerve inside the tooth or having a filling fail.
How Does Selective CTR Work?
There’s also a special version of CTR, known as “selective CTR”. This is used when tooth decay is moderate or advanced, but the tooth has not had a root canal.
Here, the dentist removes most of the decay but leaves a little bit behind before sealing the tooth with a filling or cap.
The bacteria causing decay can’t grow anymore as they no longer have the things they need to multiply. This stops tooth decay from getting worse.
Best Materials for the Job
The ADA guideline also talks about what materials work best for fillings or caps. It says common materials like tooth-colored fillings, silver-colored fillings (also known as amalgam), or preformed caps work well for children.
The best material to use depends on how bad the tooth decay is and whether the tooth is a baby tooth or an adult tooth.
Guideline’s Aim and Impact
The guideline’s main author is Dr. Vineet Dhar from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
He explains that these new recommendations aim to keep as much of the healthy tooth as possible and protect the soft part inside the tooth.
Dr. Dhar said that these new guidelines give dentists more choices for treating tooth decay. The goal is to help dentists in the U.S. and around the world take the best care of their patients’ teeth.
ADA’s Continued Efforts
This is the second guideline that the ADA has made on treating tooth decay. The guideline was put together by the ADA’s team of experts, who looked at the best scientific evidence on treatments and materials.
If you want to learn more about these guidelines, you can find them on the ADA’s website at ada.org/cariesguidelines.
In conclusion, the new ADA guideline recommends less invasive methods and the best materials for treating tooth decay.
This can help dentists provide the best possible care for their patient’s teeth, preventing further damage and promoting oral health.
If you care about dental health, please read studies about the best food for tooth and gum health, and how to prevent and reverse gum disease.
For more information about dental health, please see recent studies about diabetes and gum disease, and results showing this diet could help treat gum disease.
The study was published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.
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