Air abrasion and its procedure
Before the coming of air abrasion technique, preparing your teeth for dental crowns, cavity removal and root canal treatment the dentist used to perform drills on your teeth. This was very irritating with lot of sound and painful treatment for the patients. But the air abrasion technique solves this issue. Dentists are depending on the time-testing technology from many years. To save time and money, this technology is very helpful for dentists. Patients can take this treatment without any pain and sounds.
Tooth decay can be prevented with the help of air abrasion. The process uses tiny particles of silica or aluminum oxide. During the treatment, the air abrasion sprays away decay with the help of sand like particles on the affected area of teeth. This avoids the use of drills. This technique is mostly used to prepare tooth for teeth filling, preparing teeth for dental sealants, bonding, etc.
During the treatment, the patient is given goggles to protect their eyes from the air abrasion spray. And also the teeth and gums which are healthy are covered with shield or a rubber dam or a protective layer resin.
Advantages of air abrasion
- This process avoids heat, friction, pressure and drills in the teeth. This also avoids sound as of the traditional drilling method.
- This avoids discomfort or avoids the anesthesia injection.
- Multiple parts of your teeth can be treated in less appointments.
- This treatment smoothens your teeth and used by the patients who require composite fillings.
- It leaves working air dry which is essential for composite fillings.
- This is simple and quick treatment when compared to the drilling.
Limitations of air abrasion
- This may cause sensitivity problem in some people.
- For deeper cavities this treatments is not suitable and it is only for removing the small cavities in the teeth.
- It is not suitable for amalgam or the silver fillings as they required hard surface rather than smooth surface.
- This is only given to a few people with minimal decays and fearful patients.
- It is costlier than the other methods of treating the patient teeth who need crowns, fillings, etc.
These are some of the advantages and limitations of the air abrasion technique – an advanced technique in the dental procedures. Advancement may have many benefits over the traditional methods of treatments. So, patients should check this and meet the dentist and ask them for the best treatment for their problem.