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

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

#61

Post by Abraln »

schwap wrote: post #40
scrollaway wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Really? I'm in the USA hear and I have sealants, but have never noticed any difference in feel compared to before (I had them applied in my teens). It sounds like yours were put on REALLY thick. Mine were only put into the indents of my back teeth, so maybe that is the difference?

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

#63

Post by dminor »

marcell wrote: post #58
iends wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your advice is odd. There are high speed and slow speed handpieces. Slow speed handpieces are not water cooled and the RPMs do not get high enough to do damage to the nerve. High speed handpieces can damage the nerve and are always water cooled (at least if you buy them these days in America). You're opinion on not going to a dentist who has graduated in the last few years is amusing. In America, most dentist get pai…

Do you have any pointers at all on picking a dentist? I'm currently trying to find one, and aside from Yelp (not very helpful) I have no way to make heads or tails of anyone...

Here's a slight hack that involves a little effort: call up the dental offices in your area and ask them who covers the dentist's emergencies when they are out of town.

This should give you an idea of who is respected among the dentists themselves.

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

#64

Post by specialist »

marcell wrote: post #58
iends wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your advice is odd. There are high speed and slow speed handpieces. Slow speed handpieces are not water cooled and the RPMs do not get high enough to do damage to the nerve. High speed handpieces can damage the nerve and are always water cooled (at least if you buy them these days in America). You're opinion on not going to a dentist who has graduated in the last few years is amusing. In America, most dentist get pai…

Do you have any pointers at all on picking a dentist? I'm currently trying to find one, and aside from Yelp (not very helpful) I have no way to make heads or tails of anyone...

A friend works at the local school of dentistry. They all know who the good dentists are. Off the record, of course.

Also, my dentist teaches at the local school, and he's been fantastic.

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

#65

Post by greedo »

kijin wrote: post #42
jessaustin wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

That happened to me as well. Apparently, worn-off sealant can create tiny gaps and cracks that are difficult to clean and accumulate bacteria. The only thing a dentist can give you that actually lasts a lifetime is a gold crown. Everything else needs to be fixed at least once in a decade.

The crown may last forever, but the underlying tooth may not. I've had several crowns replaced over the last few years as the tooth underneath gets slightly exposed and a cavity forms. The only thing that seems durable is implants, and those are pricey.

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

#66

Post by Gracana »

refurb wrote: post #47
riahi wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

That's how I took it, but don't dentists normally put the implants in? If dental insurance is paying for the implants and medical insurance is paying for the bone damage, there isn't a lot of incentive for the dental insurance to pay for expensive implants.

Maybe that's exactly how it will work out, but I hope not.

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

#67

Post by phkahler »

dpark wrote: post #9
phkahler wrote: post #7

I keep thinking there should be a way to plug the cavity with something that can be absorbed by the tooth and assimilated into it (like happens with baby teeth). Then cover it up with a cap that can be later removed. Gotta find a way to regrow the enamel under that cap too. Is there some reason teeth can't regrow when damaged?

> absorbed by the tooth and assimilated into it (like happens with baby teeth) I'm confused. What happens with baby teeth? > Then cover it up with a cap that can be later removed. And come back in a few days later when the tooth and the one it meets hurt unbearably. You can't really put a cap on a tooth without grinding away a bunch of enamel first. The cap will make the tooth thicker and cause it to take all the pre…

>> I'm confused. What happens with baby teeth?

The roots are used as material for the permanent tooth under it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth_resorption

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

#68

Post by paulddraper »

funkyy wrote: post #28
paulddraper wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can do that, but it is very very expensive. If you are serious about it though and you want a reasonable price, take a trip overseas and have it done there.

Not really overnight thing though, right? Its painless and long procedure. Never heard of this being something that can be done within day or two (complete procedure).

It's possible to have it done in a couple days.

But yeah, like the other comments have noted, this probably isn't very wise. I didn't mean to offer real advice, just say that it's essentially possible, with tons of pain and considerable amount of money.

In the end, you probably just want to hold on to those natural teeth.

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

#69

Post by dpark »

phkahler wrote: post #67
dpark wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> absorbed by the tooth and assimilated into it (like happens with baby teeth) I'm confused. What happens with baby teeth? > Then cover it up with a cap that can be later removed. And come back in a few days later when the tooth and the one it meets hurt unbearably. You can't really put a cap on a tooth without grinding away a bunch of enamel first. The cap will make the tooth thicker and cause it to take all the pre…

>> I'm confused. What happens with baby teeth? The roots are used as material for the permanent tooth under it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth_resorption

Unless I'm missing something, the baby tooth roots aren't really absorbed into the new tooth. The body absorbs the baby roots, but they aren't directly incorporated into the adult teeth. Rather the pressure from the adult teeth causes the baby roots to be absorbed.

Correct me if I'm misunderstanding, though.

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