Genowefa Fiuk off crucial dental work for years because she used to panic in the dentist's office. She is one of the estimated twelve million dental phobics in the United States, and, according to the American Dental Association (ADA), thirty-five million more people are so nervous about going to the dentist that they only show up when they have a real emergency.
"Phobic or not, no one likes shots or to be drilled on," says Ms. Fiuk. She, as well as the rest of us who only mildly hate having dental work done, should be glad to hear about two new procedures aimed at reducing discomfort in the dentists chair. One, already on the market, is a chemical solution that dissolves away decayed matter. The other, still in the research stage, uses "Star Wars" technology to vaporize decay or unwanted tissue.
Both procedures are employed only on the affected area of the mouth, eliminating damage and discomfort to surrounding areas. The chemical method was marketed last June under the name of Caridex. The "Star Wars" method uses laser beams. Both discoveries could drastically change public attitudes about going to the dentist.
Tooth decay occurs when bacteria-produced enzymes and acid from food deposits destroy a tooth. Dentists now use a high-speed drill to dig out the decayed matter from the tooth, and anesthesia is still frequently needed to deaden the pain. The drilling and the needle to administer the anesthesia are the most feared procedures in the dentist's office, ADA studies have shown.
After ten years of investigation, researchers at Tufts University in Boston developed a chemical, which can dissolve tooth decay without harming nearby teeth or tissues. It is also harmless if swallowed. The Caridex system works by squirting a tasteless, colorless liquid directly on the decayed part of the tooth. This softens the decayed matter so that the dentist can then lightly brush it away. Another advantage is that the patient doesn't feel any heat or pressure as he might with the drill. This is an effective method that leaves the healthy part of the tooth intact.
The company that is marketing Caridex cautions that this system does not completely eliminate the need for drilling, since drilling may still be necessary to get to the decay. What is greatly reduced, promoters claim, is the drilling on the decay itself, which is usually what causes the most pain. As far as anesthesia goes, a study showed only 13 percent of patients needed it when using Caridex. Drs. Melvin Goldman and Joseph Kronman of Tufts University, the developers of the chemical, report that 77 percent of the patients they treated with it felt neither pain nor any strange taste.
The initial cost of the Caridex system to the dentist is eight hundred dollars, with little or none of the expense expected to be passed on to the patient. National Patent Dental Products, which is marketing the new invention, is giving minilessons to dentists around the country to educate them on its use, and attendance at one of their seminars is mandatory before a dentist can purchase it.
One dentist who has used Caridex since it was first available says, "I'm very, very pleased." Dr. Howard Leemon of Long Island, New York, was looking for "some means of treatment without discomfort" for his
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