Black classes: location of carious cavities, classification and treatment of caries. What is a carious cavity

What is dental caries? This is a pathological process that leads to the gradual destruction of dental tissues. The disease occupies a leading position among all dental diseases. According to statistics, 95% of the total number of patients who applied to the dentist have carious lesions on the teeth of varying severity.

Modern methods of treating caries in adults allow you to deal with various forms of the disease, but it is better not to wait for extensive damage to the tooth, but to get rid of it in the early stages of its inception, which will maximize the health of the tooth. Beginning caries can be cured without drilling the tooth.

Below we will consider all the stages of the disease, we will tell you how caries is treated, whether it is possible to get rid of it. And, of course, you will recognize the main factor causing such a popular problem of the dentition.

How is caries formed, why can it occur? The oral cavity is inhabited by cariogenic microorganisms, streptococci, which enter into a chemical reaction with carbohydrates that come with food, processing their acid, which is detrimental to teeth.

Getting on the surface areas, it affects the enamel structure, and over time, a carious cavity can form there.

Thus, the primary cause of caries is poor oral care. It is the accumulated soft deposits, tartar, that are the result of poor hygiene, which lead to the formation of caries.

A number of additional reasons and negative factors why caries appears:

the predominance in the diet of carbohydrate foods containing sucrose, fructose, lactose, glucose, starch. With such eating habits, a person should especially monitor the thoroughness of hygiene, rinse the mouth regularly after eating;
weakened immunity;
deficiency of vitamins and minerals that provide a strong structure to the teeth is a common reason why caries appears;
drinking water that does not contain fluoride;
crowded teeth, malocclusion;
installed braces, prostheses that injure tooth enamel and interfere with proper hygiene;
saliva with a neutral acidity index or its secretion in insufficient quantities;
period of pregnancy and lactation;
impaired formation of dental tissues at the stage of embryonic development or eruption;
endocrine diseases, disturbed hormonal levels;

The causes of caries also include hereditary predisposition. Because of it, it can also form. Knowing the reasons, you can choose to decide how to deal with caries in your case.

Larisa Kopylova
Dentist-therapist
The fight against caries should begin in the form of prevention: it is necessary to monitor oral hygiene, remove food debris with a toothbrush, stopping the growth of bacteria.
Locations of caries
By location, carious cavities are divided into the following forms:
Cervical or lateral form of the lesion - the site of localization of the focus is the tooth neck, mainly the vestibular surface. It can be slightly covered by a slightly reddened area of the gums.
Removal can be quite painful due to the increased sensitivity of the affected area. But you should not be afraid of treatment, since the dentist removes it under anesthesia;
Contact type - when caries occurs in the interdental space. Remains of food constantly get stuck between the teeth, which causes dental caries and becomes the cause of halitosis.
Therefore, dentists emphasize the importance of using floss to cleanse the space. The development of a carious focus is asymptomatic and becomes noticeable to a person when the lesion reaches a significant size. It is quite difficult to treat this type of dental caries due to inaccessibility. To provide free access to the carious cavity, the doctor is forced to remove healthy tooth tissues;
Fissure form - caries begins on physiological irregularities and grooves that are present on the chewing surface of the molars;
Carious lesion of the circular type - is considered the most dangerous, since the circumference of the tooth neck is destroyed, due to which the crown of the tooth may break and it will have to be restored.

You can see the differences between these types in the gallery below:
Cervical Contact Fissure Circular
Stages of carious lesions
The disease is characterized by slow development and gradual destruction of dental tissues. At the inception stage, the symptoms of caries have a very poor clinical picture, so often a person does not notice the development of caries, since nothing hurts him.
As a rule, an appeal to the dentist occurs when the carious focus has spread deep into, or hit a large part of the crown of the tooth. At this time, signs of caries become apparent: complaints of severe pain, reactions to food and temperature stimuli begin to appear.
It is necessary to carefully examine your teeth in order to detect caries in the early stages of development and immediately eliminate it. Four stages of caries will be characterized below, the classification of which is focused on the depth of the lesion.
initial stage
The primary pathological focus is not a band defect, but only changes the color of the enamel. It affects its surface and is a rough flaw in the form of chalky spots of various sizes. Symptoms of a painful nature at this stage are absent, only manifestations of a cosmetic defect are observed. Most often, patients find the initial form of caries if it is localized on the front teeth in the smile zone.
How to get rid of caries on the teeth in the initial stage? To eliminate the white spot, drilling is not required; it is enough to use special external applications with therapeutic compounds. The therapy consists in restoring the structure using remineralizing solutions with fluorides, calcium compounds and other useful trace elements to strengthen the enamel.
To enhance the result, the patient is shown an internal intake of a vitamin-mineral complex.
surface stage
Superficial carious lesion is a continuation of the initial stage in the absence of treatment. It likes to start as a well-defined, shallow band defect that is oval or round in shape. Caries of this form affects the limits of the enamel surface and practically does not differ from it in color. Symptoms still do not differ in variety, cosmetic defects persist. If the carious cavity has struck the vestibular side or the chewing surface of the molars, then the soft tissues may slightly scratch when in contact with the edges of the cavity. Some patients experience increased sensitivity and an unpleasant reaction to sweet, cold foods.
How to treat caries on the teeth with superficial destruction? In this case, it is necessary to resort to preparation. This is necessary to create favorable conditions to fix the seal. During the procedure, the dentist uses special dyes, thanks to which it is possible to accurately identify the affected areas on the enamel, and then eliminate them by drilling. Then the doctor selects the color of the filling material, close to natural teeth, and applies it in layers.
If installed, then the dentist acts on each layer with ultraviolet light to harden it. When filling with chemically curing materials, a special lamp is not required in the work, the seal hardens on its own. At the final stage, the filling is polished, adjusted according to the bite, physiological tubercles (fissures) are formed on the surface of the molars.
The table shows the stages of development of the disease. You can compare the degree of damage to the tooth and their x-rays.
Caries of medium depth
With medium caries, the destruction of all layers of enamel occurs, extending to the intersection of the enamel-dentin border and the surface layer of dentin.
Symptoms of moderate caries become more obvious due to the involvement of deep dental tissues. The cosmetic defect is much more obvious, and food residues begin to get stuck in a deep carious cavity. The patient complains of pain while eating.
How to cure caries of the middle stage? Its removal will not do without tooth preparation, since there has been a change in the color of enamel and dentin in the carious focus, and pigmented pathological tissues must be eliminated without fail. It has long been established that a filling placed on a poorly cleaned cavity will lead to a recurrence of caries and complications.
The method of treatment consists in the following actions:
the dentist carefully prepares the affected cavity;
the bottom and walls, together with the enamel-dentin border, are lined with lining insulating material so that the toxic substances of the filling do not penetrate the tooth. This action is performed using appropriate materials, if modern types of non-toxic filling materials are installed, then an insulating gasket is not needed;
then the dentist fills the prepared area with a filling, finishes the cured tooth.

Deep stage of the lesion
When this type of caries occurs on the tooth, the symptoms cannot be confused with anything. As the name implies, such caries on the teeth is a neglected form of the disease and the result of ignored timely treatment by the dentist. With deep caries, deep band defects are formed, penetrating completely all tissues (enamel and dentin). The defect is localized near the pulp, so the symptoms are pronounced.
Larisa Kopylova
Dentist-therapist
With a deep lesion, it is painful for a person to eat, to perform hygiene - the causative tooth makes itself felt when any irritant enters. There is a slow subsidence of the syndrome when the irritating factor is eliminated.
Is it possible to cure caries in this case? Of course, but treatment at the stage of deep caries is more difficult and requires maximum accuracy, since the neurovascular bundle is located nearby. Manipulations are carried out under local anesthesia to exclude reflex movements of the patient to the pain syndrome. In turn, the doctor works carefully, since one careless movement during preparation can result in a failure into the tooth cavity and the development of traumatic pulpitis.
The procedure includes three main steps:
laying of medical paste for partial restoration of dentin and removal of irritation from the pulp;
installation of an insulating lining;
filling.

The video below shows the complete process:
Thus, one can do without the preparation of one's own tooth only at the stage of a white spot, in all other cases of pathological destruction, the tooth must be turned, and the deeper the caries goes, the more tissues have to be affected to ensure effective treatment.
Treatment of dental caries
The possibilities of dental techniques allow not only to get rid of caries, but also to introduce artificial teeth, in the absence of your own. But is it worth it to bring the oral cavity to such a state, because it is much cheaper and more practical to strive to preserve natural teeth, and for this it is enough to undergo preventive examinations, perform regular hygiene with high-quality care products.
How to remove caries and restore teeth? Methods of treatment of this disease of the teeth directly depend on the current stage of the course, which we discussed above. The technological process of caries treatment consists of the following successive stages:
Performing professional cleaning - the dentist removes plaque, deposits, tartar with ultrasound, and then polishes the tooth surface with special brushes and abrasive pastes.
A filling material is selected that is as similar as possible to the shade of your own teeth, especially if you plan to treat the frontal group of teeth.
To ensure comfortable treatment, the patient is given local anesthesia. A slight discomfort may be felt at the moment the needle is inserted into the soft tissues near the causative tooth.
One of the important stages is that the carious cavity undergoes a thorough preparation, the doctor eliminates all pathologically altered tissues in the form of carious dentin and enamel.
Then the cleaned cavity is isolated from saliva, treated with antiseptics and dried well.
In the process of treatment, the doctor is engaged in the restoration of the side wall of the tooth, installing special devices in the form of a matrix and wedges. Compared with the treatment of the average form of caries that affected the chewing surface of the molar, this type is more laborious.
To improve adhesiveness, the enamel is etched with a special gel with phosphoric acid, which is then washed off.
Applying adhesive to enamel and dentin, thanks to which it will be securely fixed.
Installation of an insulating gasket.
Filling the prepared cavity with filling material, forming a dental crown, fissures.
Bringing the seal to the finish state. At the request of the patient, the restored tooth can be covered with a special protective material aimed at temporary isolation from saliva.

This is how the dentist treats you in general. Many people are interested in how to stop caries, or stop its development, with the help of traditional medicine recipes. As can be seen from the processes described above, such an undertaking is not advisable. It is possible to fight caries at home only when a chalky spot appears, that is, at an early stage, but it is strictly forbidden to try to extract black carious foci on your own.
On the way to this, therapeutic pastes with fluorine and calcium for professional hygiene, thorough brushing of teeth and tongue twice a day, and a balanced diet will help. Eliminating the causes of dental caries is much easier than the subsequent treatment of the disease. In addition, it is rather difficult to identify a white spot on your own; it is more reasonable to entrust this task to a dentist who knows exactly what to do with caries and how to cure it.

In other words, a "carious cavity" is the destruction of teeth by caries. The occurrence of caries largely depends on lifestyle - diet, oral hygiene, the presence of fluoride in water and toothpaste. The predisposition of teeth to caries also depends on heredity.

Caries is most common in children, but adults are also affected. There are the following forms of caries:

Superficial caries - most common in both children and adults, affects the chewing or interdental surfaces of the teeth.
Deep caries - with age, the gums sink, exposing the roots of the teeth. Since the roots of the teeth are not protected by enamel, cavities easily form in the affected areas.
Secondary caries - carious cavities affect previously sealed teeth. This is because plaque often accumulates in such areas, which can eventually turn into a carious process.

Adults who suffer from dry mouth syndrome, a disease associated with a lack of salivation, are most susceptible to caries. Dry mouth syndrome can be caused by an illness, as well as a side effect of certain medications, radiation, and chemotherapy. It can be temporary and last from several days to several months, or permanent, depending on the causes of the disease.

The formation of carious cavities is a serious disease. Without timely proper treatment, a carious cavity can destroy a tooth and damage the neurovascular bundle in the center of the tooth, which in turn can lead to inflammation of the root canals. After inflammation (also known as "pulpitis") occurs, treatment is possible only through depulpation and other surgical procedures, or by removing the tooth.

How do I know if I have cavities?
Only a dentist can accurately diagnose caries. This is due to the fact that the carious process begins below the surface layer of enamel, where it is invisible at first glance. When eating foods rich in carbohydrates (sugar and starch), the bacteria in plaque converts it into acids that destroy tooth enamel. Over time, the enamel layer is destroyed from the inside, while the surface remains intact. With a progressive tissue defect, the surface layer also collapses over time, forming a carious cavity.

The deepening of the chewing surfaces of the molars, interdental surfaces, and surfaces in contact with the gingival margin are most often subject to the formation of caries. Regardless of where it occurs, the best way to diagnose and treat caries is to visit your dentist regularly for periodic check-ups, which will help prevent caries from progressing to more severe stages.

How to prevent the development of caries?

Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and also use dental floss daily to remove plaque from the interdental spaces and cervical part of the gums.
Visit your dentist regularly. Preventive measures allow you to avoid the occurrence of diseases, or to stop their development at an early stage.
Eat a balanced diet with limited starch and sugar. When including foods rich in starch and sugar in your diet, consume them during main meals, not between them - this will limit the time during which the teeth are exposed to acids.
Use fluoride-containing oral care products, including toothpaste.
Make sure children drink water enriched with fluoride. If the water in your area is not fluoridated, your child's dentist and pediatrician may prescribe fluoride supplements.

Caries is most common in children, but adults are also affected. There are the following forms of caries:

Superficial caries - most common in both children and adults, affects the chewing or interdental surfaces of the teeth.
Deep caries - with age, the gums sink, exposing the roots of the teeth. Since the roots of the teeth are not protected by enamel, cavities easily form in the affected areas.
Secondary caries - carious cavities affect previously sealed teeth. This is because plaque often accumulates in such areas, which can eventually turn into a carious process.

How to prevent the development of caries?

Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and also use dental floss daily to remove plaque from the interdental spaces and cervical part of the gums.
Visit your dentist regularly. Preventive measures allow you to avoid the occurrence of diseases, or to stop their development at an early stage.
Eat a balanced diet with limited starch and sugar. When including foods rich in starch and sugar in your diet, consume them during main meals, not between them - this will limit the time during which the teeth are exposed to acids.
Use fluoride-containing oral care products, including toothpaste.
Make sure children drink water enriched with fluoride. If the water in your area is not fluoridated, your child's dentist and pediatrician may prescribe fluoride supplements.

Anesthesia. One of the main conditions contributing to the correct fulfillment of the requirements for each stage of treatment is the painlessness of manipulations. Therefore, along with the observance of a set of methodological techniques that reduce the impact of mechanical, thermal and chemical stimuli, one of the methods of anesthesia should be used. Dental practice has a fairly large selection of medicines and methods for preventing and eliminating pain: premedication, electrical anesthesia, the use of application agents, local anesthesia, general anesthesia, etc.

Opening of the carious cavity. The size of the dentin lesion on the chewing surface of molars and premolars, as a rule, is larger than the enamel lesion, and therefore overhanging edges of the enamel are formed.

The stage of opening the carious cavity involves the removal of such overhanging edges of the enamel that do not have dentin support under them, which is accompanied by the expansion of a narrow inlet into the carious cavity. This allows further use of larger burs with better cutting properties, a good view of the cavity itself and more free manipulation of instruments in it.

At this stage, it is advisable to use cylindrical (fissure) or spherical burs of small size in accordance with the size of the inlet of the carious cavity or even somewhat smaller.

Expansion of the carious cavity. With the expansion of the carious cavity, the edges of the enamel are leveled, the affected fissures are excised, and sharp corners are rounded. The cavity is expanded with medium and large fissure burs.

Stages of carious cavity preparation:

Necrectomy. At this stage, the affected enamel and dentin are finally removed from the carious cavity. The volume of necrectomy is determined by the clinical picture of caries, the localization of the carious cavity, and its depth. The preparation of the bottom of the carious cavity should be carried out within the zone of hypercalcified (transparent) dentin. This is determined by the method of probing the bottom of the cavity with a tool (probe, excavator). At the bottom, it is permissible to leave only a dense pigmented layer of dentin. In the acute course of the carious process in children, if there is a danger of opening the cavity of the tooth and injuring the pulp, in some cases it is permissible to preserve a small layer of softened dentin.

When performing necrectomy, it should be borne in mind that in the area of the dentin-enamel junction, in the areas of interglobular and near-pulp dentin, there are zones that are very sensitive to mechanical irritation.

Necrectomy is carried out using excavators or spherical burs. The use of an inverse cone or fissure bur during the treatment of the bottom of the cavity with deep caries is excluded, since this may open and infect the tooth pulp.

Formation of a carious cavity. The purpose of this stage is to create favorable conditions conducive to reliable fixation and long-term preservation of a permanent filling.

With superficial and medium caries, the most rational is a cavity with sheer walls, right angles, and a flat bottom. The shape of the cavity can be triangular, rectangular, cruciform, etc., i.e., correspond to the anatomical shape of the fissures. During the formation of the bottom of the cavity with deep caries, the topographic features of the tooth cavity should be taken into account. Due to the proximity of the pulp horns to the corners of the cavity, the bottom is formed in the form of a small depression in the safe zone.

For better fixation of the filling in the better preserved walls of the cavity, support points should be created in the form of grooves, recesses, notches, or a cavity should be formed with a gradual narrowing towards the inlet. When forming a cavity, inverse-conical, spherical, wheel-shaped burs are used.

Smoothing (finishing) the edges of the enamel. The duration of a permanent filling is largely determined by the correct implementation of the stage of smoothing the edges of the enamel.

Enamel edges are smoothed with carborundum stones. This provides for the formation of a bevel (fold) along the edge of the cavity at an angle of 45 degrees. The resulting fold, like a nail head, protects the seal from axial displacement under the action of chewing pressure. The edge of the enamel after smoothing should be smooth and not have jagged edges.

It should be emphasized that when filling with amalgam, the fold is formed over the entire depth of the enamel, with a metal insert - in the surface layer of the enamel, and when using polymeric materials, the fold is not needed, the edges of the enamel are only smoothed. Smoothing the edges of the enamel at an angle is necessary for materials that do not have adhesion.

Enamel edge finishing:

Washing the formed cavity:

Cavity washing. After preparation and formation, the carious cavity is freed from dentinal sawdust with a stream of air, water, or washed with cotton balls soaked in a weak antiseptic solution. The substances used in this case should not have an irritating effect on the pulp.

Medicamentous treatment of the cavity. At all stages of carious cavity preparation, instrumental treatment should be combined with medication to neutralize infected dentin. For this purpose, weak solutions of disinfectants are used (3% hydrogen peroxide solution, 1% chloramine solution, 0.1% furatsilina solution, etc.).

The use of potent and irritating substances is unacceptable.

Application of medical paste. In the treatment of deep caries in the formed cavity, it is necessary to create a depot of drugs to reduce the pathogenicity of bacteria in infected dentin, eliminate reactive manifestations from the pulp, calcify the bottom of the cavity and stimulate the deposition of replacement dentin. Pastes are prepared on a water or oil basis, brought into the cavity with a small float and carefully compacted at the bottom.

Medicamentous treatment of the cavity:

Application of medical paste:

Applying insulating pads. In order to prevent inactivation of drugs serving as a medical lining, the paste with the medicinal substance is covered with a layer of artificial dentin, which acts as an insulating lining. Phosphate cement is placed over the dentin lining. The lining material is brought into the cavity with the help of trowels and pluggers, it is distributed along the bottom and walls with the indicated tools or with an excavator.

Placement of a permanent filling. The prepared filling material is introduced into the treated cavity using a plugger or trowel, carefully rubbed against the bottom and walls of the cavity, paying special attention to the complete closure of the phosphate cement lining. To restore the functional ability of the tooth, it should be brought into contact with the antagonist. For this purpose, until the filling is completely hardened, the patient is offered to carefully and slightly close his teeth (in an orthognathic or habitual bite) and make lateral chewing movements. Excessively applied filling material is removed with a trowel, cotton swab (amalgam filling) or carborundum stone (cement and plastic fillings).

Tooth decay by caries is a pathological disease that develops in hard tissues. Doctors say that the disease (at different stages) occupies a leading position among pathologies in dentistry. The development of dental caries occurs gradually, begins without pain with small spots, ends with tooth loss. It is not difficult to detect the disease, the symptoms of dental caries are quite obvious. Why does disease occur? How many methods of dealing with the disease exist, what to do with the affected areas and is it painful to be treated? Let's consider further.

Caries - what is it?

The most common oral disease is caries. It affects more than half of the world's population. The emergence and development of the pathological process leads to damage to the enamel. Untimely treatment of caries destroys hard tissues completely. For greater clarity, pay attention to the photo of the affected teeth in comparison with healthy ones.

The signs of caries are as follows:

the appearance of dark spots on the enamel;
discomfort in the destroyed centers;
formation of holes.

The etiology of the disease is quite complex. There are a number of other signs, including: pain in the gums and cheeks, discomfort when chewing, eating hot or cold food. If you ignore the symptoms and start the process of developing spots, the following will happen:

the diameter of the resulting darkening will increase;
a superficial lesion will penetrate deep into the dentin;
further development of the pathological process will provoke the appearance of a "hole".

Caries on the front teeth causes particular discomfort (the incisor hurts, acutely “reacting” to temperature changes), and also creates significant aesthetic inconvenience (see photo of caries above). Thanks to modern methods of treatment, it is possible to stop the disease and carious changes, returning a healthy smile, in one visit.

Signs with photos and symptoms of the disease

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How quickly caries develops is primarily due to the reasons that caused it - we will talk about the most typical of them below. Now let's look at the characteristic signs of the disease. Carious cavities manifest themselves in different ways, which directly depends on the degree of damage. The first stage of darkening of the enamel has a delayed latent reaction. Tooth sensitivity can be increased by eating the following foods:

very hot food;
cold snacks, drinks, etc.;
salty foods.

Hypersensitivity is observed periodically, especially aggravated after the white spot on the enamel gradually turns brown. The initial stage of the lesion is characterized by the following symptoms:

chemical irritants lead to pain, but immediately after the pathogen has been eliminated, this factor disappears;
when the tooth neck is affected, there are sensations of pain in the place of pressure when eating solid food.

The following additional symptoms are inherent in the middle stage of caries:

Deep caries is characterized by aggravation of previously diagnosed signs:

any irritating factor provokes the occurrence of pain;
carious cavities are large and dark.

When the first symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor so as not to harm or start the disease. It is important to recognize the development of caries in time and start treating already at the “white spot” stage, when medical remineralizing agents can still be used as the basis of therapy. If the process is started, caries treatment will already be invasive.

Types of carious lesions

Pathogenesis in dentistry is considered as a mechanism for the onset and course of a disease. Typical causes of caries in the oral cavity are:

cariogenic microflora (including carbohydrates);
violation of hygiene rules;
reduced immunity.

Cariogenic factors, which are based on a violation of the acid-base (chemical) balance and the development of pathogenic flora, primarily contribute to the destruction of enamel and dentin. Scientists call genetic predisposition a separate cariogenic factor.

Types of caries are classified depending on the degree of damage to the tooth, the depth of carious cavities, their localization. Stages of the development of the disease with a photo illustration:

The initial stage is a superficial colorless enamel lesion, which is not diagnosed by the patient himself. The lateral part of the tooth surface is affected by fissure caries. The stage of manifestation of spots can be stopped if the spot is treated with topical drugs and remineralizing agents.
The pathogenesis of medium-level caries is characterized by spreading to the upper layer of dentin. Such caries is dangerous by the rapid destruction of the tooth. The doctor removes the affected area and seals the cavity.
Deep dental caries in the process of its development causes the destruction of the cavity to the level of dentin, which covers the pulp. Further infection and tissue softening occurs - urgent treatment is necessary, since the result of untreated caries can be the removal of the pulp and even the tooth itself.
atypical form. The cutting edge, tubercle is destroyed. It is treated by an invasive method with the installation of a seal. Complications from this caries are the destruction of the tooth from top to bottom to the deep stage.

A severe degree of neglected caries is difficult to cure. The progressive process inevitably leads to complications: pulpitis, periodontitis, etc.

Dentists also distinguish such types of caries as:

multiple or systemic;
root;
cervical (affects more often the front teeth near the gums) (we recommend reading:);
recurrent - occurs under a filling due to serious cariogenic factors.

Causes of caries in adults

What causes caries? Streptococci are one of the types of dental microbes present in organic acids that destroy dentin and enamel.

The appearance and reproduction of bacteria begins during the development of pathological biochemical processes - with normal flora, there are no pathogenic microbes in the mouth. The formation of a carious cavity is facilitated by:

violation of nutrition and hygiene (carbohydrates and acids are formed due to the remnants of rotting food);
somatic diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract;
reduced levels of calcium, fluorine and vitamins in the body (pregnancy, chronic diseases, lack of good nutrition, radiation therapy, etc.);
tartar (hard plaque);
genetic predisposition.

Treatment - conservative and with the removal of carious cavities

Dentists identify two main ways to fix the problem:

Non-invasive - the treatment of superficial dental caries occurs conservatively, i.e. without drilling. This option is referred to as a modern type of treatment.
Invasive - treatment by cleaning out the lesions. Before drilling, a detailed examination, drug treatment of the carious cavity, removal of affected areas, and filling are carried out.

How to stop caries? In order to cure caries at the white spot stage, it is enough to saturate the teeth with fluorine and calcium, i.e. to remineralize the enamel.

It is possible to cure a disease of moderate and deep degree with the help of drug treatment of the carious cavity, followed by its filling. The standard stages of caries treatment are as follows:

removal of the affected part of the tooth;
restoration of the cavity by filling (the deep stage of the lesion is treated by installing two fillings - temporary and permanent).

Methods of therapy in dentistry

Caries treatment is almost painless. At the initial stage - the stage of the appearance of the stain - the treatment of caries in adults and children is carried out without touching the dentin and pulp. Only the top layer of enamel is removed, so the procedure is painless.

The disease at a more serious stage, especially advanced carious lesions of the dentin and its expansion inside the tooth, requires treatment of the oral cavity, removal of softened areas with a drill and the subsequent installation of a filling.

Does it hurt to heal?

The question of whether it hurts to treat caries is of interest to most patients. Treatment in dentistry is carried out at all stages of caries quickly and painlessly. At the first stage, after the sanitation of the oral cavity, medical treatment is performed. Invasive removal of internal caries is performed under anesthesia and does not cause discomfort. It is recommended to deal with the problem already at the initial stage, then recovery will be quick and without pain.

Consequences and complications in case of untimely treatment of caries

Deep caries is an advanced stage of tooth damage, which is the last and requires urgent and high-quality treatment. In case of improper care, the carious cavity turns into pulpitis, characterized by severe pain. You can avoid the consequences with timely contacting the clinic in order to remove the pulp

Recurrent formation can occur if carious cavities form between the filling and healthy teeth. Photos of this type of caries can be seen below.

Removal of the filling, drug treatment and its replacement is a new therapeutic method of treating and dealing with the consequences of complications.

Preventive measures - how to stop the carious process?

After treatment, patients are wondering how to prevent caries in the future. You can avoid the problem by following simple rules:

care for and monitor the cleanliness of the oral cavity (the main cause of the pathology is the formation of plaque due to food debris);
observe a healthy diet (include foods high in trace elements and vitamins in the menu);
visiting a dentist every six months is a chance that will allow you to diagnose a pathology at an early stage and avoid a deep stage that is difficult to treat.

Vaccination against caries

There is currently no vaccine against carious teeth. However, some laboratories are conducting research and exchanging experience in this matter.

Human immunity is already “trained” with antibodies that destroy viruses and bacteria. So, for example, immunoglobulin, which is in saliva, does not allow pathogenic microorganisms to reach the “desired target”. Therefore, we repeat, today a vaccination against a carious lesion is nothing more than an invention of science fiction writers.

Means for protection for every day

To effectively protect the oral cavity from caries, it is recommended to use pastes with calcium and fluorine. Such formulations are excluded when there are contraindications (for example, high fluoride content in water or fluorosis diagnosed in a patient). The purchase of expensive pastes is not necessary. The main thing is that active enzymes and the base filler contribute to the destruction of plaque and food debris.

Additional oral care products are rinses and flosses that clean the interdental spaces. Special scrapers and brushes are useful for processing the tongue. However, the listed funds are not able to stop the already existing destructive process.

Sometimes bacteria are transmitted through kissing, in which case chewing sugar-free gum is recommended. The main thing is not to overdo it - you will not achieve strengthening of enamel with chewing gum, but if you use it excessively, you can contribute to the wear and tear of tooth enamel.