Although you may think of tooth decay as something that you should be able to readily feel and see, a dentist is often the only one who can diagnose it. When enamel gets damaged, cavities form beneath the surface of your teeth and are usually invisible to the untrained eye, especially without special dental tools. If you have a cavity that’s been there for a while, you may develop a toothache or, if it’s particularly serious decay, possibly see holes or pits in your teeth. At Paris Mountain Dental, we use advanced laser technology to detect your cavities as early as we can. But how do lasers assist in recognizing cavities?
About Laser Cavity-Detection
Laser cavity-detection quickly and painlessly exposes the presence of cavities. This fascinating technology is based on the fact that weaker, decayed teeth reflect more light than healthy teeth. Light easily penetrates and is absorbed by healthy teeth but has a tougher time passing through teeth with cavities.
The DIAGNOdent®
Our office proudly utilizes the DIAGNOdent system to assist Dr. Ghimire in identifying tooth decay. A pen-like laser scans your teeth, while the digital read-out portion of the device checks the density of your tooth’s structure to calculate the possibility of decay. Dr. Ghimire compares the device’s analysis to baseline measures, your dental X-rays, and her visual examination to determine if you have cavities that need to be treated.
Untreated Tooth Decay
By diagnosing cavities early, we can take care of them before they get worse. Untreated cavities can spread to neighboring teeth and cause more serious dental issues, such as gum disease, an infected inner pulp that requires root canal therapy, and tooth and bone loss. Ask our team for tips to improve your oral hygiene routine and prevent decay by contacting us today.