Micro-Dentistry
Cavities now sometimes penetrate into the softer dentin layer through seemingly intact enamel. It’s important to catch and treat all cavities early while they’re still in the hard outer enamel layer, because once they reach the inner dentin layer, cavities grow much more quickly. If they reach the pulp chamber, we’ll have to perform a root canal.
Micro-dentistry is a new science in dentistry that takes advantage of specialized tools and techniques to find and restore small, hard-to-find cavities. We can remove the smallest possible amount of tooth structure and place strong bonded fillings, while often avoiding the need for dental anesthetic.
Micro-dentistry is a new dental science that uses special tools, decay-detecting dyes and air abrasion, to find, remove and restore these tiny new hidden areas of decay.
As a first step in micro-dentistry, we may apply a red or green dye to stain areas of decay. We can then use air abrasion to gently clean the pits and expand the narrow grooves so that we can continue to test with cavity detection dye. Using special, small instruments, we can then bond one of the new white filling materials, or place a sealant.
Our Location
23 N Federal Ave, Mason City, IA
What Our Patients Say
To Provide Comprehensive Quality Care