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I am an Orthodontist

Because your patients deserve to be

cavity-free!

  • Protect healthy teeth from increased risk for decay while in orthodontics
  • A great way to improve homecare made tough by brackets
  • Avoid unsightly white spot lesions

Orthodontics


A concern for many patients, referring dentists, and orthodontists alike is what the condition of the teeth will be after orthodontic treatment. Unless we identify and manage our high caries risk patients, we then run the risk of a progressing caries infection leading to cavities, or at the least unsightly white spot lesions developing during treatment.  These outcomes can then compromise the enjoyment of the result.   The placement of orthodontic brackets automatically increases your patients’ caries risk.


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, or placing crowns and veneers, 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.”

Expert Advice

  • Familiarize yourself with the ADA’s caries risk classification guidelines.
  • Develop a simple risk assessment protocol to determine your patients’ susceptibility to dental caries. This will allow you to prescribe products that can treat the caries infection and prevent cavities from forming.
  • Take a look at the products you currently recommend and whether they work to treat the caries infection or just remineralize the damage.
  • Take special consideration for the pH of products as neutralizing products encourage healthy bacterial growth.