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‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

washingtonpost.com

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Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#31

Post by pageld »

scrollaway wrote: post #24
grmarcil wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What I never understood is why in these days we are not able to have a product that would be spread on the teeth (let's say a yearly application) to protect them from most of the major aggressions. If I understand what you're talking about, this is already a thing, and not particularly new either. Lasts much longer than a year too. http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/sealants

Fascinating; how come I've never heard of this? It seems like the sort of thing dentists would advertise.

For the shadier dentists (and they exist), sealants don't bring in as much money as a root canal.

For everyone else, it doesn't help with cavities between the teeth where a lot of people get cavities. The sealants just sit on the upper side of the tooth.

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#32

Post by teslabox »

wott wrote: post #13

What I never understood is why in these days we are not able to have a product that would be spread on the teeth (let's say a yearly application) to protect them from most of the major aggressions. Each time I had a tooth "cured" (i.e. drilled), this "cure" weakened the structure of the tooth so much that it broke with a period of 6 to 24 months. And once the inside was removed with drilling and the outside has broke…

> Each time I had a tooth "cured" (i.e. drilled), this "cure" weakened the structure of the tooth so much that it broke with a period of 6 to 24 months. And once the inside was removed with drilling and the outside has broken, what's left? Nothing: goodbye tooth, hello hole.

I went to a few different dentists a few years ago, and they all said I needed a crown. This was not in my budget, so I went to my grandparent's long-term dentist, who they'd been going to since the 1960's. He was 80+ years old, and was happy to use his tools to sand down my old prosthetic tooth.

He was a cheery old fellow, who still practiced dentistry to take care of his long-term patients who didn't want to go anywhere else. And he gave me the best advice for picking a dentist that I've ever heard:

1. Make sure your dentist's drill is water-cooled - that it sprays water on the tooth that's being drilled. Tooth nerves that get heated die, and then you need more dental work...

2. Never go to a dentist who hasn't been out of school at least 10 years, because young dentists tend to have loans to pay off, and they have an incentive to sell you dental work that you might not really need.

My brother told me about how he got hit with a dental up-sell once. His new dentist told him that he had "micro-cavities" that needed to be filled. My brother was like, "huh? They don't bother me..." But he went along with what the professional recommended. Did he really need that extra work? He doesn't know... But now he has micro-fillings that will probably fall out some day.

I broke my tooth at the lake when I was 12, and have had a prosthetic tooth ever since. I broke the prosthetic tooth off one evening, had it glued back on by a dentist. With the layer of glue, it was just slightly too long, and it started to hit on my other teeth.

The nerves in your teeth shrink as you age. The difference between the nerve size of my root canal'd tooth and its neighbor is incredible. (Did I really need that root canal? My parents could afford it, it was what the professionals recommended, so it's what I got. A friend of mine had a very similar break in the same tooth, but her parents couldn't afford a root canal, she never got it, and still has a nerve on her capped' tooth.)

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#33

Post by stsp »

chillacy wrote: post #27
scrollaway wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fascinating; how come I've never heard of this? It seems like the sort of thing dentists would advertise.

I have dental sealants but my insurance doesn't cover them because they're considered unnecessary, so I pay out of pocket to get them renewed every once in awhile. Maybe patients are reluctant to do that.

In Germany you can get sealant applied once a year or so as part of standard health care until 18 years of age. IIRC each application takes about 15 minutes at the dentist and one hour of no eating or drinking afterwards.

I had this done during youth, never had it reapplied since, and so far, now heading towards my mid-thirties, never had an issue with my teeth. And, of course, I regularly brush my teeth about once or twice a day.

My dentist checks once a year to see how far the sealant has worn off. I could get it reapplied if necessary but not for free this time. I'll strongly consider paying up though when faced with the choice since this treatment worked out very well for me.

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#34

Post by riahi »

refurb wrote: post #29
Gracana wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My friend was talking about this recently. He is trying to put together the money to get a new tooth fitted, and mentioned that there is talk of having insurance cover replacement teeth for young people due to the fact that not having teeth can severely weaken the jaw over the course of your life. Not such a big deal when you're 80 and your teeth are falling out, but when you're 25 it has potential to become a big pr…

I guess my question is why would insurance care? If the bone in your jaw weakens and causes severe problems, it'll likely be your medical insurance that covers it. I can't see a dental insurance giving a crap. This is US/Canada specific of course. Any country that has single payer dental/medical coverage would care.

Not to put words in his mouth, but I think the above poster was referring to having medical insurance cover said dental costs because the loss of bone in the jaw would cause other medical complications down the line in young people.

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#35

Post by jessaustin »

chillacy wrote: post #27
scrollaway wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fascinating; how come I've never heard of this? It seems like the sort of thing dentists would advertise.

I have dental sealants but my insurance doesn't cover them because they're considered unnecessary, so I pay out of pocket to get them renewed every once in awhile. Maybe patients are reluctant to do that.

Typically sealants are applied to the permanent molars of children, and remain in place at least through young adulthood. Apparently there are some risks involved with old sealants. My dentist blamed a partially-eroded sealant for a cavity I got in my thirties.

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#36

Post by scrollaway »

stsp wrote: post #33
chillacy wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have dental sealants but my insurance doesn't cover them because they're considered unnecessary, so I pay out of pocket to get them renewed every once in awhile. Maybe patients are reluctant to do that.

In Germany you can get sealant applied once a year or so as part of standard health care until 18 years of age. IIRC each application takes about 15 minutes at the dentist and one hour of no eating or drinking afterwards. I had this done during youth, never had it reapplied since, and so far, now heading towards my mid-thirties, never had an issue with my teeth. And, of course, I regularly brush my teeth about once o…

Do your teeth feel any different with the sealant applied?

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#37

Post by gozur88 »

wott wrote: post #13

What I never understood is why in these days we are not able to have a product that would be spread on the teeth (let's say a yearly application) to protect them from most of the major aggressions. Each time I had a tooth "cured" (i.e. drilled), this "cure" weakened the structure of the tooth so much that it broke with a period of 6 to 24 months. And once the inside was removed with drilling and the outside has broke…

>What I never understood is why in these days we are not able to have a product that would be spread on the teeth (let's say a yearly application) to protect them from most of the major aggressions.

That's a sealant, which is something we do have. I've had a few of my biting surfaces sealed, and it seems to have cut down on the number of cavities. Just once, though, not every year.

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#38

Post by Sharlin »

cmdkeen wrote: post #20
funkyy wrote: post #12

Sometimes I think it would be just nice to get all teeth removed and get brand new proper ones within a days worth visit. Would make things much easier.

It's not even a new idea. My late great aunt had all her teeth removed when she was 21 and dentures fitted.

Yeah. There used to be a time, not that long ago, when people would routinely get their first dentures as a wedding gift.

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#39

Post by schwap »

gozur88 wrote: post #37
wott wrote: post #13

What I never understood is why in these days we are not able to have a product that would be spread on the teeth (let's say a yearly application) to protect them from most of the major aggressions. Each time I had a tooth "cured" (i.e. drilled), this "cure" weakened the structure of the tooth so much that it broke with a period of 6 to 24 months. And once the inside was removed with drilling and the outside has broke…

>What I never understood is why in these days we are not able to have a product that would be spread on the teeth (let's say a yearly application) to protect them from most of the major aggressions. That's a sealant, which is something we do have. I've had a few of my biting surfaces sealed, and it seems to have cut down on the number of cavities. Just once, though, not every year.

You do have to have sealant re-applied periodically.

Re: ‘No-drill’ techniques can treat tooth decay just as well, study finds

#40

Post by schwap »

scrollaway wrote: post #36
stsp wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Germany you can get sealant applied once a year or so as part of standard health care until 18 years of age. IIRC each application takes about 15 minutes at the dentist and one hour of no eating or drinking afterwards. I had this done during youth, never had it reapplied since, and so far, now heading towards my mid-thirties, never had an issue with my teeth. And, of course, I regularly brush my teeth about once o…

Do your teeth feel any different with the sealant applied?

Slightly but you get used to it quickly. It also depends on how good a job your dentist does, there will be high spots that need to be ground down.
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