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Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

theguardian.com

41–50 of 202 posts

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not capitalism, that's market economics. Often (arguably universally at this point in history, but watch this space) found together but not at all the same. Your point stands, nevertheless.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_economy First section.....Capitalism. Capitalism is certainly a type of market economy.

Squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Novamin is a great way to remineralize teeth. Similar to Recaldent (found in Trident Extra Strength.) It's basically a type of micro-glass that slowly remineralizes teeth with continued use. GSK bought Sensodyne a couple years ago and removed it from all the US Sensodyne toothpastes. Only way to get it in the US is to order from overseas, or to get a prescription from a dentist. As much as I don't like to be that "co…

Why'd GSK do that, I wonder?

money.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#43

In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.

People still get their wisdom teeth taken out without being put under. I heard one person describe the process inside your mouth sounding like a tree trunk being snapped in half.

Huh, that's actually pretty accurate.

In fact, 'normal' molars sound the same.

In a former life, a nice American chap yanked one of mine out whilst in Kandahar and it sounded like that - only he also broke a part off the jaw too, so that could have been some part of the sound.

He informed me with a slightly embarrassed: "I'm sorry but I think I just broke your jaw bone."

In a later development, the bone began to be rejected by my gum and was pushed up and out. Broken bone is surprisingly sharp and rather than carry around the little calcium razor one of my Corporals kindly volunteered to pull it out with a pair of needle nose pliers.

Happy to say the latter operation was a complete success.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#44

In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.

It is all low tech. I've been undergoing significant dental work over the past year and I always come back to this same thought. The reason the "brutal" techniques works is because of the amazing resiliency of the mouth. Wounds heal quickly, and teeth are rooted so deep they take a ton of punishment before giving out.

I've been lucky to find an orthodontist whose not afraid to do something advanced. Previously, I had 5 or 6 consultations from different orthodontists who, in some cases, wanted me to return within the hour to install metal braces.I knew that my mouth was a bit of a special case (impacted canine), but I refused to believe that metal was the end game. I always asked for Invisalign, but they all said it wasn't possible - until I met my current orthodontist. After a quick consultation, he comes back saying "we're going to try something different".

The man is a genius, as far as I'm concerned. He proposed a solution to straighten my teeth with Invisalign while making space to pull the canine into place with a cantilever. The cantilever is hidden behind my teeth, attached to my molar and secured with trans-palatal arch. He actually bent the wire around the top of my mouth to minimize its obstruction of the tongue. Painful, simple, but effective. I barely notice it. He cuts my Invisalign retainers by hand so they still fit in.

In the dental world, this is really advanced. I had to repeat the procedure several times to my oral surgeon (who did great work) before he understood that the chain pulling my tooth into place isn't destined for a metal bracket, and must be sutured to my gum pending installation of the cantilever. Quick call to my ortho cleared everything up. Likewise, my dentist was equally surprised. Both said it was a great idea. According to my orthodontist, my treatment would be the subject of a paper, if he was still inclined to write them.

None of it seems very modern to me.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need to wait. A few decades ago in Russia, anesthesia wasn't used during dentistry. That was a fun time period to grow up in.

No need to even go that far, in 2006 I had a root canal in Germany with no anesthesia or pain killers given. Made worse by the fact I didn't understand what it was being done. My German was terrible and the dentist's English was worse.

How was it possible to hold still while having a large nerve drilled out?

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#46
Interesting.

There was another unique treatment that hit the news perhaps ten years ago, but didn't happen apparently? The idea was awesome, they genetically re-engineered the "tooth-decay" bacteria in your mouth to stop producing acid, combined with a mild antibiotic to out-compete the original form. I've been waiting a long time for it, unfortunately.

I think this was it: http://www.oragenics.com/?q=cavity-prevention

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#47
post #9

I've often heard conspiracy theorists say that if dentists ever learned of a way to cure cavities more cheaply and without drilling, they'd suppress the information as it would endanger their business. I think this is insane, but can anyone offer a sound economic argument for why dentists would embrace the new technique instead of cartelling up to suppress it?

Because patients will flock to the dentists who do embrace it, and others may even sue the ones who don't.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#48

In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.

I dislocated a limb, once, while playing some sports ball. The fix at the ER? A heavier doctor wrapped some ropes around me and leaned back with all of his weight, while the other doctor grabbed my limb and pulled really damn hard. Some medical treatments feel absolutely medieval...

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People still get their wisdom teeth taken out without being put under. I heard one person describe the process inside your mouth sounding like a tree trunk being snapped in half.

That would be Europe. Sounds awful indeed. Especially if they won't budge and an extra tool is placed under the wisdom-tooth to be used as a lever… Root canal is done with local anesthetics as well by the way...

US as well. I was able to be put under for my most recent extraction, but only after shopping around and strong and continual insistence on my part.

Re: Dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment

#50

In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.

At least dental techniques work, even if they might not be very sophisticated or pleasant. Lobotomies just destroyed people. They were only successful in that they made the victims more compliant and less of a hassle for their caretakers, they didn't actually fix the problems.
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