General Dentistry

Many dentists are finding less predictable results and higher failure rates for their dentistry than they, or their patients, would like. Realizing the role that biofilm bacteria play in this equation gives you the opportunity to ensure your patients have the confidence to accept, and a long-lasting life for, your best dentistry.

The latest research on the caries infection has now identified a few key concepts:

• This infection is not pathogen specific, it is a biofilm disease and there are now 23 identified strains of bacteria, any combination of which may contribute in an individual.

• pH is the strongest “selection pressure” that determines whether these cariogenic strains are present at pathogenic levels.

• There are some key risk factors that can determine our patients’ susceptibility to this infection.

The other paradigm shift taking place is the wide-spread understanding that drilling and filling cavities is not sufficient in treating this disease.  Dr. John Kois states that “caries risk assessment identifies patients at risk for dental caries even before they have expressed the disease and best targets treatment for those patients that have already expressed the disease. We need to find ways, like CariFree, to help our patients move from the repair model to the wellness model.”

Solutions for your practice

• Determine a simple protocol for risk assessment so you know how to best treat each patient.
• You are already identifying your patients who are susceptible to the disease, ie. the ones who have cavities, determine what recommendations you can make, in addition to restorative work, to treat their infection.
• Take a look at what products you are currently recommending to identify if they work to treat the infection or just repair/remineralize the damage.
• Consider the pH of the dental products you choose, understanding that alkaline products give you the opportunity to neutralize the oral environment and promote healthy bacterial growth.