Conservative dentistry

Caries is the most common disease that affects our teeth, caused by bacteria that secrete substances that dissolve hard tissues. This leads to the destruction of the crown, and sometimes even the root of the tooth. Treatment includes removing the infected part and then rebuilding it with materials that color, structure and strength mimic the natural tooth. Today we can find unusual diversity of materials used in conservative dentistry. In the anterior teeth, where high aesthetics are required, we use the technique of combining different shades to achieve a perfect look, while in the lateral teeth the most important are strength and resistance to forces acting, for example, during eating. The constant development of dental materials allows us to meet even the highest expectations of the patient.

Sometimes, caries causes infection of the tooth root. There are canals there, in them nerves and blood vessels, which is the cause of pain. In this case, endodontic treatment should be performed: removal of damaged tissue from the canals and filling them with substitute material (see: endodontics).

Teeth can be also damaged by other factors. They can get worn as a result of improper brushing or chipped due to excessive clamping or grinding. This results in cavities that also need to be cleaned and filled. Leaving them as they are not only weakens the entire structure, leading to even more damage, but also can be an additional place for the development of caries.

Each treatment in this field begins with local anesthesia, which provides comfort to the patient, eliminating pain during the entire procedure. The next stage is installation of a cofferdam, which enables the precise and predictable work of the doctor. It is a rubber insulating the treated tooth from the environment, thanks to which the procedure is complete aseptic. Isolation from saliva is very important because almost all materials used in conservative treatment require complete dryness during their insertion into the cavity. The cofferdam has many advantages also for the patient – it solves a problem of excess water in the mouth (used for cooling during development) and eliminates a risk of accidental falling of tools or materials into the mouth or throat.

Actually, after anesthesia and inserting the cofferdam, the patient can completely relax, because then the doctor painlessly and thoroughly cleanses the tooth, and rebuilds it with material imitating natural tissues. Finally, the doctor adjusts the filling for proper contact with other teeth, and the patient can evaluate the final result.

In the case of need for endodontic treatment, the procedure is also performed under anesthesia and with a cofferdam cover, including removal of bacterial infected tissues from the tooth canals with the use of machine tools, thorough rinsing with disinfectants and then tight filling (see: endodontics). Of course, the final element is the restoration of the tooth crown in the manner described above.