Minimally Invasive Dentistry

It has been known for the decades, that dental caries is a communicable, infectious disease caused by the dental plaque, an oral biofilm, and by exposure to fermentable carbohydrates. Studies have also proven that it is the most prevalent dental disease in younger children and adolescents.The old model familiar to most baby-boomers saw most teeth getting their first filling when there was already a fairly large cavity and getting a large filling as a result. As the dentistry advanced in the 20th century, rates of tooth decay have been falling steadily; thanks to fluorides, oral health awareness, and better prevention. The philosophy of dealing with decay, when it happens, is changing. The rules for dentistry were invented in the late 1800¿s by Dr. G.V.Black, the father of modern dentistry. Among the foremost of his rules was the concept of ¿extension for prevention¿. The idea was to remove the possibility of further decay in that surface of the tooth. The only problem with Dr. Black¿s method was that a lot of HEALTHY tooth was destroyed in the process. Decay can now be discovered much earlier, with advanced techniques of diagnosis and with the principles of microdentistry.