Minimal intervention is a treatment philosophy that promotes an, "If it's not broken, don't fix it, and if it is broken, find out why it is broken." Then, form a treatment plan that involves the least amount of trauma to the patient and the patient's healthy oral tissues. Minimal intervention's basic goal is to conserve healthy tooth structure.
Catching treatment early is the best way to conserve teeth and gums. Not being able to treat dental issues when they are in the early stages of disease has always been a concern.
In the early stage, less treatment is typically necessary, which is better for the patient physically and emotionally, as well as financially. With the rapid advancements in technology many dentists now have many more methods to identify dental disease and fix it before it gets to the critical surgical stage.
Minimal intervention promotes the patient's well being through early identification, early intervention, minimal treatment, and prevention.
At one time, dentistry was a "drill and fill" kind of treatment. Those days are gone.
Now regular dental maintenance therapy is the goal. Depending on your condition, you could have one to four or more check-ups and cleaning each year and take an active role in your own oral health care.
Yes, that means those brushing and flossing routines for healthy people. It also means a good balanced diet. The minimal intervention philosophy believes that little changes in your behavior will have a big impact on your total health!
Dentists have many new techniques and equipment in their offices today that were only imagined as few as 10 years ago. These techniques are used to detect dental disease early, before it becomes critical.
Today, we have the marvel of digital x-rays, intraoral cameras, and lasers to name a few. Computers have moved from the receptionist's desk to the exam room (in dentist terms called the "operatory" or "treatment room").
Computer technology is now a premier detection tool when used to show digital x-rays and digital photographs. Computer software can manipulate the digital image to increase cavity detection.
The image can be enlarged and then zoomed on a specific area of concern. The contrast can be change to improve cavity detection, and the brightness and darkness of an image can be adjusted for better viewing.
Soft spots, which stick with an explorer, indicated that there was a deep cavity that had broken through the enamel of a tooth. Enamel is the outer hard protective coating around teeth; it is the second hardest substance in nature after diamonds.
However, acid dissolves enamel and bacteria produce acid to break down enamel. Once through the enamel, the decaying bacteria penetrate to the live tissue inside the tooth, the dentinal pulp. Eventually if left untreated, the nerve becomes infected, causing pain and need for root canal therapy or an extraction.
In the past, decay was not removed until it penetrated through the enamel. That is because amalgam fillings (made of half silver and half mercury) have to have a large hole prepared in the tooth to allow them to lock into place and a substantial thickness to keep them from breaking.
A little cavity would need a large amount of drilling to make a hole big enough for an amalgam-filling placement. Now with the advent of tooth colored bonded fillings, less tooth structure is removed and the treatment is less invasive.
Bonding is a way of gluing the filling to the tooth so the only drilling necessary is the decay removal. Therefore, it is better to catch the decay early while still just in the enamel. Unlike the internal dentin of the tooth, enamel has no nerve ending so usually numbing is not necessary for the bonded filling preparation and placement.
With the video camera, dentists are able to inspect all the surfaces of the teeth, looking for darkness in the grooves and pits of the enamel. Thus, they can catch decay early and prevent its spread through preventive tooth colored fillings with minimal drilling. The video camera has the added benefit of allowing patients to see the decay for themselves.
The minimal invasive movement evaluates the whole person. If an individual has a cavity, it is important to determine why they have a cavity.
When the reason for their cavity is identified, preventative measures can be recommended that will extend the life of their teeth. Minimally invasive procedures help patients feel good about receiving dental treatment and create a new attitude about dental and oral health care.
Author Resource:-
Tommy Greene is a former dental assistant and has authored hundreds of articles relating to oral health and Knoxville dentist. He has been a guest dental lecturer for over 15 years.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 