The care of Carrier Today is founded on a fundamental principle: minimal invasiveness, maximum effectiveness. At our Absolute Health clinic, we adopt a minimally invasive approach to tooth decay, based on early diagnosis, active prevention, targeted interventions, and constant monitoring. Discover how to protect your dental health through this four-step journey.
What is the minimally invasive approach to dental caries?
It's not just about preserving as much healthy tooth tissue as possible during treatment, but about actively preventing the development of new carious lesions and minimising the risk of restoration failure. Caries is a chronic disease of bacterial origin that, if left untreated, damages the hard tissues of the tooth up to deep cavitation. With a correct diagnostic and therapeutic approach, it is possible to control the progression of caries and maintain the Oral hygiene over time.
The 4 steps of the minimally invasive approach to caries
1. Identification: early identification of caries risk
The first step is to recognise initial carious lesions and individual risk factors.
Let's analyse carefully:
– Presence of mature bacterial plaque
– Excessive consumption of sugar (snacks and sugary drinks)
– Medications that reduce saliva flow (such as antidepressants)
– Systemic or surgical conditions affecting oral health
– Patient's clinical and socioeconomic history
We use advanced diagnostic tools, such as:
– Visual inspection with magnifying systems
– Digital bitewing radiographs
– Technologies based on the fluorescence of dental tissues
2. Prevention: protecting enamel and reducing risk factors
Prevention is key to our minimally invasive approach to tooth decay. We guide you in modifying daily habits to protect your tooth enamel:
– Reduction or elimination of added sugars
– Correct daily oral hygiene with toothpastes containing Fluoro (1,450 ppm)
Application of remineralising mousses with casein phosphopeptides and calcium phosphate
For initial lesions, we also recommend toothpastes with bioactive glasses, which are useful for strengthening and remineralising enamel.
3. Treatment: conservative and targeted interventions
In the presence of decay, we adopt minimally invasive and personalised treatments:
– Adhesive restorations or those with bioactive materials that release protective ions
– ART (Atraumatic Restorative Treatment) technique, particularly suitable for children
– Selective removal of carious tissue, preserving potentially remineralisable dentine
Resin infiltration, effective for blocking interproximal lesions
– Silver diamine fluoride, ideal for arresting cavitated caries in more fragile patients (children, the elderly, people with disabilities)
All these treatments are designed to maintain tooth integrity and reduce the risk of secondary decay.
4. Regular check-ups: maintaining dental health
Continuous monitoring is essential for preventing new cavities and checking existing restorations. We tailor the frequency of recall appointments based on the patient's risk level. Generally, we recommend:
– Check-ups every 6 months
– Professional oral hygiene sessions
– Topical applications of fluoride or silver diamine fluoride
These appointments allow for the monitoring of oral health and consolidation of the effectiveness of treatments. At Absolute Health, our daily commitment is to protect the dental health of our patients with a modern and minimally invasive approach to cavities. We guide you step-by-step, from prevention to personalised care, to ensure you have a healthy and lasting smile.
