Treatment of caries

Destroyed tooth structure does not fully regenerate, although remineralization of very small carious lesions may occur if dental hygiene is kept at optimal level. For the small lesions, topical fluoride is sometimes used to encourage remineralization. For larger lesions, the progression of dental caries can be stopped by treatment. The goal of treatment is to preserve tooth structures and prevent further destruction of the tooth.

Generally, early treatment is less painful and less expensive than treatment of extensive decay. Anesthetics may be required in some cases to relieve pain during or following treatment or to relieve anxiety during treatment. A dental handpiece ("drill") is used to remove large portions of decayed material from a tooth. A spoon is a dental instrument used to remove decay carefully and is sometimes employed when the decay in dentin reaches near the pulp. Once the decay is removed, the missing tooth structure requires a dental restoration of some sort to return the tooth to functionality and aesthetic condition.

Restorative materials include dental amalgam, composite resin, porcelain, and gold. Composite resin and porcelain can be made to match the color of a patient's natural teeth and are thus used more frequently. When the decay is too extensive, there may not be enough tooth structure remaining to allow a restorative material to be placed within the tooth. Thus, a crown may be needed. This restoration appears similar to a cap and is fitted over the remainder of the natural crown of the tooth. Crowns are often made of gold, porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal.

In certain cases, root canal therapy may be necessary for the restoration of a tooth. Root canal therapy, also called "endodontic therapy", is recommended if the pulp in a tooth dies from infection by decay-causing bacteria or from trauma. During a root canal, the pulp of the tooth, including the nerve and vascular tissues, is removed along with decayed portions of the tooth. The canals are instrumented with endodontic files to clean and shape them, and they are then usually filled with a rubber-like material called gutta percha. The tooth is filled and a crown can be placed.

An extraction can also serve as treatment for dental caries. The removal of the decayed tooth is performed if the tooth is too far destroyed from the decay process to effectively restore the tooth.

Ex.18. Write out key words of the text “Treatment of caries”.

Ex.19. Compose the plan to the text “Treatment of caries”.

Ex.20. Narrate the text “Treatment of caries”.

These phrases will help you to do it:

Ex.21. Insert the missing words given below:

Worldwide, most children and an estimated ninety ___________of adults have experienced caries, with the disease most prevalent in Asian and Latin American __________ and least prevalent in African countries. In the United States, dental ________ is the most common chronic ___________ disease, being at least five times more common than asthma. It is the primary pathological __________of tooth loss in children. Between 29% and 59% of adults over the age of fifty ____________caries. The number of _________has decreased in some developed countries, and this decline is usually attributed to increasingly better oral __________practices and preventive measures such as ____________ treatment.

Ex.22. Read the text and make up a dialogue “The ways of preventing caries”

Personal hygiene care consists of proper brushing and flossing daily. The purpose of oral hygiene is to minimize any etiologic agents of disease in the mouth. The primary focus of brushing and flossing is to remove and prevent the formation of plaque. Plaque consists mostly of bacteria. As the amount of bacterial plaque increases, the tooth is more vulnerable to dental caries when carbohydrate is in the food left on teeth after every meal or snack. A toothbrush can be used to remove plaque on accessible surfaces, but not between teeth or inside pits and fissures on chewing surfaces. When used correctly, dental floss removes plaque from areas which could otherwise develop proximal caries.

Professional hygiene care consists of regular dental examinations and cleanings. Sometimes, complete plaque removal is difficult, and a dentist or dental hygienist may be needed.

The use of dental sealants is a means of prevention. A sealant is a thin plastic-like coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the molars. This coating prevents the accumulation of plaque in the deep grooves and thus prevents the formation of pit and fissure caries, the most common form of dental caries. Sealants are usually applied on the teeth of children, shortly after the molars erupt. Older people may also benefit from the use of tooth sealants, but their dental history and likelihood of caries formation are usually taken into consideration.

Fluoride therapy is often recommended to protect against dental caries. It has been demonstrated that water fluoridation and fluoride supplements decrease the incidence of dental caries. Topical fluoride is also recommended to protect the surface of the teeth. This may include a fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash. Many dentists include application of topical fluoride solutions as part of routine visits.

Ex.23. Translate the following sentences into English:

1.Карієс – одне з найпоширеніших захворювань у світі. 2. Першою ознакою каріозного пошкодження є поява крейдяної білої плями на поверхні зуба. 3. Якщо порожнина вже утворилася, втрачену структуру зуба неможливо відновити. 4. Колір пошкоджених ділянок зуба змінюється. Вони стають м’якими на дотик. 5. Для того, щоб діагностувати карієс, необхідно ретельно оглянути усі видимі поверхні зуба за допомогою стоматологічних інструментів. 6. Інколи буває складно виявити невеликі каріозні пошкодження.