Tooth Drilling – Is It Really A Necessary Procedure

The sound of drilling on the teeth can generate an unpleasant sound which may send shivers down through the spine. The dentist may need to drill on your tooth to fill a cavity or to remove infection in the dentin on tooth pulp. In other words, drilling is an important part of the cavity filling process. But the good news is that there are new technologies available. Those technologies mainly aim at eliminating the need of drilling on the teeth.

The procedure of cavity filling

The procedure of tooth drilling starts after the dentist numbs the area. Local anesthesia may be used for numbing the tooth. A high speed drill is used for the removal of decayed portion of the tooth’s enamel. In order to drill on the dentin, the dentist shifts drill to the low speed.

After the decayed portion is removed, dentist shapes the cavity in order to prepare it for receiving the filling material. So, the process is not related just to the drilling. The dentist will need to keep working on your tooth long after the drilling process. During this process, fluoride is added in the drilled hole in order to keep the tooth safe from infection.

New technologies used in the drilling

Good news is that we now have less invasive tooth drilling technologies available. Some of those innovations are worth mentioning in this regard.

1.The first thing to mention is the plasma. Plasma is neither a gas, liquid or solid. The scientists have found that plasma can actually help in killing the bad bacteria and removing the infected tissues from the decayed teeth. Dentists have already worked on plasma jets, and they have found the technique to be highly successful.

2.The association between laser and medical treatments is not unknown. There are numerous applications of laser in dentistry. Killing of bacteria and infection is one among many applications of laser. It can also help in the treatment of cysts inside the gums.

3.Resin infiltration is another technique that may be quite helpful in the process of treating cavity and internal infections of the teeth. The good thing about this technique is that it eliminates the necessity of drilling the teeth. This procedure involves pushing of a perforated sheet between the teeth, and a gel that cleans the decay is applied through that sheet. The resin is forced through the sheet. This resin settles into the cavities. After the cavity is filled, a curing light is put on the area to harden the filling.

While there are many treatments available to deal with the cavities, your best bet is to avoid the cavity. For this purpose, you need to make sure that you take care of your oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly.