Due to protection from fluoride, decay or cavities always starts underneath the surface of the tooth (Sub-surface demineralisation). The tooth has to lose a fair bit of calcium before the cavity can be detected by x-rays, not to mention clinical examination under the naked eye.
Utilising the Kavo Diagnodent laser pen, we can detect cavities (decay), both on the biting surface and in between teeth, well before they show up in x-rays. Hence, we can treat the cavities in their smallest form preventing un-necessary loss of tooth structure and weakening of the tooth.
As the cavities are detected by laser in their smallest form, using traditional drills to clean them will remove far more tooth sturcture than needed resulting in un-necessary weakening of the tooth.
In addition, enamel (the outer shell of the tooth) like porcelain, though hard, is quite brittle and vibrations from the drill when it cuts through the tooth can create micro-cracks in the enamel further japodising the marginal integrety of the cavity and the final restoration (filling).
Utilising the HoyaConbio Versa Wave hard and soft tissue laser (same laser as seen on Channel 9 news), we can clean the cavities without over removal of sound tooth structure while preserving the marginal integrety of the cavities by not creating the micro-cracks as would be caused by traditional drills.
Laser also has the advantage of killing all bacteria in the vacinity of the cavity creating a sterile field and better surface for bonding the white (tooth-coloured) fillings with less chance of recurrent decay.
