In today’s high-tech dental world, the focus is on minimally invasive dentistry.
A lot of times, we diagnose small cavities, and parents wonder why we should restore them if they are not large or not causing pain or sensitivity.
In the past, cavities had to grow to a certain size to justify drilling a large hole and filling it with amalgam. That was based on 19th-century dentistry. Today, we have superior bonding and laser technology. We do not have to wait for the cavity to grow and weaken the tooth structure before restoring it.
This picture shows the typical appearance of teeth with early fissure decay.
Fissures are the deep grooves in the chewing surfaces of molars. Caries-causing bacteria can penetrate these fissures, and this has consequences: These bacteria, called Streptococcus mutans, attack the thin enamel and penetrate dentin, the underlying living layer of the tooth. At that point, the decay spreads faster and undermines the enamel even before it is visible to the naked eye.
Fissures barely visible on the tooth surface can extend deep into the tooth, as this cross-section shows.
In our office, we use the Waterlase to clean out the fissures, and often, if we come across cavities, we can complete the procedure without giving a shot.
You might think brushing your teeth well will prevent the problem, but look at this microscopic cross-section of a fissure and a toothbrush bristle, and you’ll realize brushing will not help.
The following video demonstrates how to treat fissures with the Waterlase Dental Laser.