Childhood caries of primary teeth: treatment without drill and drilling. Read articles on this topic on the website azabuka.ru

According to statistics, caries occurs more often in children than in adults. This is one of the most common reasons for visiting a dentist, because not only permanent teeth, but also baby teeth are susceptible to destruction.

Children do not like to be treated, and often parents feel sorry for the child until the last moment and do not take him to the dentist in order to avoid stressful situations. But you need to understand that the health of his teeth in adulthood will depend on how they care for their baby’s oral cavity in childhood.

Treatment of caries of children's primary teeth

Caries of primary chewing and front teeth has long been treated without the slightest pain.
New modern techniques have reduced the use of drills and drilling to a minimum, and timely scheduled examinations make it possible to detect the disease at a very early stage. The doctors at Aza&Buka Pediatric Dentistry who work with young patients are distinguished by an amazing sense of tact and constant positivity. Knowledge of the child’s psychology allows doctors to build communication and dialogue in such a way that children sit in the dental chair without the slightest fear. If the child already has some dental phobia, then adaptation techniques can solve the problem.

Caries on baby teeth in children is treated using the following technologies:

Why does caries develop in young children?

Dental caries in children occurs as a result of exposure to external and internal factors. The main cause is cariogenic microorganisms Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus viridans, etc. They are present in the oral cavity of every adult. A child can become infected with them from the mother when she checks the baby's food for temperature and tastes it, through a kiss or a pacifier.

Cariogenic bacteria produce dangerous acids that negatively affect the condition of the enamel, loosening it and softening it. It contains fewer minerals, which ensure its resistance to external irritants.

Microbes alone are not enough for the development of caries. For their rapid reproduction, certain conditions must be created. Let's list some of them:

Failure to comply with hygiene rules. Leftover food in the mouth is a favorable environment for the spread of bacteria. Children brush their teeth incorrectly or not at all until you remind them. Because of this, they suffer from caries more often than adults.
Consuming a lot of sweets. Sweet foods consist primarily of carbohydrates, the fermentation of which in saliva leads to the formation of sucrose, fructose and glucose. Cariogenic microbes feed on these substances. Immediately after eating sweets, the pH value of saliva decreases, and the balance of minerals in the oral fluid is disrupted. Because of this, bacteria multiply even faster. The amount of their waste products, that is, acids, increases. They eat away the enamel and cause tooth decay.
Weak enamel. The teeth of young children have a low degree of mineralization, erupt “immature” and become stronger in the oral cavity. Even molars, which replace milk teeth, have thin enamel. It cannot fully resist bacteria. Until it gets stronger, the teeth are most vulnerable, and therefore are often affected by caries.
Incorrect feeding. Caries in children under one year of age is also called “bottle caries.” It occurs due to the use of nipples and milk bottles. It contains a lot of lactose, which is dangerous for teeth, just like sugar. If you leave a pacifier in a child's mouth for a long time, for example, overnight, without washing it first, bacteria begin to actively multiply. At night, while a person is sleeping, they are especially aggressive.

Weak immunity. The child’s immune system is just developing and cannot give a worthy rebuff to microbes. Bacteria, which are part of the microflora of adults, can greatly harm the health of the baby. Therefore, it is important to maintain hygiene when caring for your child. If you infect it with cariogenic microorganisms, it will be difficult for the body to cope with them and prevent the development of carious lesions.

These are the main factors in the occurrence of caries in children. In fact, other reasons can increase the risk of its occurrence: problems with the gastrointestinal tract, poor ecology, etc. During diagnosis, it is necessary to establish not only the causes of the disease, but also the extent of its spread. Dental treatment is determined by the stage of the carious process.

Classic filling

requires a special approach when treating young patients, since the doctor has to use dental equipment, which often causes fear in children.
Aza&Buka dentistry uses both traditional and modern methods of treating caries of primary teeth, selecting a method taking into account the age of the child and the degree of neglect of the process.

Plaksina Margarita

“Modern parents are great! They themselves are not afraid of dentists, and children are taught the same thing: to come on time for preventive appointments and examinations. In such cases, doctors can intercept the very beginning of a cavity infection and prevent tooth decay without drilling.”

Prevention of childhood caries

How to protect children from caries? Dental procedures are not cheap, so not everyone can afford to have their teeth treated in paid clinics, and making an appointment for a free appointment is problematic. In addition, children are afraid of doctors, which greatly complicates treatment. The best way to avoid these problems is to prevent the development of caries in baby teeth.

Prevention of childhood dental diseases includes:

Individual oral hygiene. Children should get used to brushing their teeth from early childhood. Otherwise, they will constantly suffer from caries. Carry out hygiene procedures with him in the format of a game, interest the child in this process so that he enjoys cleaning himself. Buy him a beautiful children's toothbrush, stylized as cartoon characters. Don't forget that young children's teeth are very vulnerable. Therefore, the means of caring for them must be appropriate to the age of the child.
Proper nutrition. There is no need to put your child on a diet to prevent tooth decay, but you should limit your intake of sweets. It is advisable that he get used to good products from childhood. The diet must include dairy products, which are rich in calcium. The condition of the enamel depends on this element.
Professional hygiene. Bring your child to the dentist for teeth cleaning 2-3 times a year. He will also help you choose a suitable toothbrush for your baby and teach you how to use it.

At the first symptoms of caries, take your child to the doctor. Caries does not go away on its own, folk remedies do not help, so there is no point in delaying a visit to the clinic.

Milk caries: initial, superficial, medium, deep

Doctors distinguish 4 stages of the formation of carious areas:

Initial caries - tooth enamel becomes covered with small spots of white or yellowish tint.
Superficial caries - the enamel begins to deteriorate, small and light cavities are observed.
Medium – the layer of tooth enamel is destroyed, the affected area extends deeper.
Deep - the layers of dentin have already been affected, and the pulp is under threat.

It is necessary to treat milk caries at the very first stage, although it does not cause any discomfort in the child. The fact is that the enamel and crowns of temporary teeth are subject to rapid destruction, and the development of caries occurs very quickly. Deep caries often provokes irreversible changes, which leads to premature removal of the baby tooth.

Rodikova Tatyana

“Medium and deep caries most often occurs in schoolchildren, almost teenagers. Children brush their teeth poorly, and they talk about problems only when caries has already affected the pulp. In this case, the treatment turns out to be more unpleasant, since removal of the pulp cannot be avoided. That’s why I always ask parents to carefully monitor their teenagers’ hygiene and bring them to appointments on time.”

Caries of permanent teeth in children

Newly erupted teeth have lower mineralization, which is finally completed only by 4-5 years after eruption. Young permanent teeth are especially vulnerable in the first year of development. The enamel on them is easily permeable to caries bacteria, so a junior schoolchild should be helped to brush his teeth and be sure to consult with a dentist about the need to seal the fissures and make a protective coating for the enamel.

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Reasons for the development of caries in temporary teeth

When visiting a dentist, parents are invariably interested in the reasons for the appearance of such an unpleasant disease. This is important because it helps prevent damage to new teeth. Sometimes it is enough to change eating habits and hygiene patterns so that the child forgets about fillings for a long time, and only comes to the dentist for examinations.

Causes of caries:

Poor or insufficient oral hygiene. Food remains in the interdental space and on the enamel are an excellent environment for the development of carious bacteria.
An unbalanced diet with a preponderance of sweets and carbohydrates - during the fermentation of simple carbohydrates, acids are formed that provoke the destruction of enamel.
The lack of solid foods in the menu leads to a decrease in the frequency of chewing, reduces salivation and becomes a common cause of caries of primary teeth in young children.
Long-term use of nipples, including on bottles and sippy cups, increases the risk of developing single or multiple bottle caries of the anterior milk teeth in children.
Rickets is a pathology that provokes the destruction of dental tissues.
Genetic predisposition of the child.
Problems with bite – various anomalies in the formation of the dentition.
Decreased natural immunity due to frequent acute respiratory viral infections, chronic diseases, and taking various medications.
Damage to tooth germs in the prenatal period - due to maternal illness or neglect of health in the first trimester.

Prevention of dental caries in children

How to avoid caries in a child? There are simple measures that can help reduce the likelihood of its occurrence.

Brush your baby's teeth as soon as his first teeth emerge. You can first use oral sanitary wipes with xylitol.
Do not lick baby's nipples or allow your child to eat from his spoon. This can pass bacteria from your mouth to your baby and increase the chance of developing tooth decay on newly erupted teeth.
Avoid giving your baby sweet juice or formula at night or throughout the night. After your last meal, you should definitely brush your teeth! If the child is breastfed, after a year, reduce night feedings, remember that breast milk is also sweet and can provoke the development of caries.
Starting from 1-1.5 years old, visit the pediatric dentist regularly (every 3-4 months).
Don't forget about regular oral hygiene at least twice a day for 2-3 minutes.
Brush your child’s teeth on your own until he is 4-5 years old, then be sure to help him with brushing. Until the age of 8-9 years, a child cannot yet brush all his teeth well, even if he knows how to do it correctly.
Let your child's diet be rich in microelements. Teach your child to chew carrots and apples - this reduces soft plaque and strengthens the gums.
Professional oral hygiene is not a luxury, but an extremely useful procedure, since hard plaque can only be removed by a dentist. Also, if possible, go through with your child the procedures of enamel mineralization and fissure sealing on young permanent teeth. These measures are good prevention of caries in children.

Methods for treating caries in children - without pain and fear

There are many methods available for the treatment of caries in primary teeth. All of them are adapted for children and do not cause pain, discomfort or anxiety to the child. Depending on the complexity of the situation, dentists offer the following solutions:

Remineralization of tooth enamel – restoration of a balanced structure of the tooth surface using special pastes. Formulas with a high content of calcium and sodium should be applied to baby teeth for some time, which will stop the spread of bacteria and the deepening of carious cavities.
The ICON method is an ideal treatment option for superficial caries. The doctor applies a composition to the carious spot to remove the affected area of enamel, and then closes the cavity with a safe, quick-hardening polymer. The treatment takes place without a drill - quickly and painlessly.
Ozone therapy is an effective method of combating caries. The damaged area is subjected to targeted exposure to ozone to disinfect the enamel and eliminate carious bacteria. Children tolerate the procedure very well, as it does not cause any discomfort.
Filling. Cleaning carious cavities is done using a drill or manually without drilling. Next, the doctor treats the tooth with antiseptics and places a filling - white or colored. Treatment of caries of a baby tooth is carried out with anesthesia with local anesthetics or under sedation.
Laser dental treatment. Advanced technology in which laser beams remove carious lesions quickly and accurately. A filling is placed on the cleaned and disinfected cavity.

A method for treating caries is suggested by the doctor after assessing the degree of damage to the baby tooth.

Why does caries occur in childhood?

It is known that caries is a pathological process that occurs in the hard tissues of teeth under the influence of internal and external factors. Carious lesions arise as a result of the “work” of cariogenic bacteria living in the oral cavity.

Why does caries occur in childhood?
Features of caries of milk teeth
Symptoms of carious lesions in baby teeth
Why is caries treated for young children?
How is caries treated in children?
Methods for treating childhood caries without drilling
Invasive treatment of caries
Do they give anesthesia to children?
Prevention of childhood caries of primary teeth

By processing carbohydrates that enter the mouth with food, these bacteria produce acid. It is this that contributes to the destruction of enamel, dentin and other tooth tissues. Several factors contribute to the proliferation and active activity of cariogenic bacteria, which ultimately leads to the development of caries in children.

Improper dental hygiene.

Insufficient cleaning from plaque, infrequent cleaning.

Eating high in carbohydrates.

Children who eat a lot of sweets and flour, drink sweet compotes at night, and snack on chocolates are more susceptible to developing caries. A favorable breeding ground for microbes is formed in their mouth.

Reduced immunity.

Weakened immune defense does not allow the body to effectively resist negative influences, so children with weak immunity develop caries more often.

Features of intrauterine development.

The formation of teeth occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy, and it can be affected by the lifestyle, health, and previous diseases of the expectant mother.

These factors contribute to the fact that tooth enamel begins to lose mineral substances, cariogenic microbes multiply in the mouth, and as a result, dental caries develops.

Symptoms of carious lesions in baby teeth

The manifestations of caries depend on what stage the process is at.

For early caries (the so-called stain stage), a characteristic sign is a light spot or thin line on the surface of the tooth enamel. This is an area of demineralization - the focus of carious lesions. At this stage, it is difficult to notice caries without the help of a dentist, because the child does not show anxiety or complain of pain or discomfort.

When the process enters the superficial stage, a dark pigmented spot forms on the tooth enamel, which has a rough structure. The tooth may react to sweets, and during the examination the doctor discovers areas of softening of the enamel.

At the next stage of middle caries, dentin is damaged - the bone tissue of the tooth, in which a cavity is formed. The lesion looks like a darkened area, food gets stuck in the hole, and the child complains of pain when eating cold or hot food.

At the stage of deep caries, it is painful for the child to chew, the tooth reacts to any irritants, it can hurt on its own, and partial or complete destruction of the crown occurs. A characteristic type of childhood caries is the bottle form. It affects the dental neck and occurs in infants who often feed from a bottle for a long time. Depending on the form, stage of the disease, and the age of the child, the dentist will decide how to treat teeth affected by caries.

Type 3: multiple

Multiple childhood caries of primary teeth is very common. To understand what it looks like, look at the photo.

The photo shows multiple caries

A disease that consistently affects 8-10, or even all 20 teeth located in the primary occlusion is considered multiple. Multiple is also usually called a pathology that can destroy several surfaces of one tooth at once.

Experts give this anomaly different names: blooming caries, acute, galloping. The pathology can develop immediately after eruption, quickly corrodes the coronal part, leads to necrotization of the pulp and can leave the child without teeth by the age of 3-4 years.

Why does the disease appear? Most often, it develops against the background of severe infectious, chronic and genetic diseases: measles, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, rickets, Down syndrome, damage to the bronchopulmonary system. The same cervical and circular varieties, if left untreated, quickly become multiple, that is, they spread to adjacent elements and spread throughout the entire row.

Type 1: cervical variety

It is formed at the point of contact of the crown with the gum - it is in this area that the enamel is very thin, and in children it is also weakly mineralized.

When the first milk and permanent teeth erupt, they have weak hard tissues in which mineralization processes have not yet been completed. Usually only after a few years1 the enamel naturally strengthens and increases its resistance to external irritants. And if during this period of life there are unfavorable factors (poor hygiene, the presence of sweets and soft foods in the diet, vitamin deficiency, various chronic, infectious and viral diseases), then the child most often develops cervical caries.

The photo shows cervical caries

Caries in children, regardless of the type, goes through the same stages (superficial, initial, medium, deep) as in adults. True, it progresses faster and can be almost asymptomatic, accompanied by severe pain only with the development of pulpitis and periodontitis. It all starts with the appearance of white matte spots on the surface of the enamel, then their color changes to yellow and brown, and deep pits form on hard tissues. Next comes first short-term, then long-lasting discomfort.

Why is caries treated for young children?

There is a myth that baby teeth with caries do not need to be treated, as they will fall out anyway. In fact, dentists unanimously say that treatment of childhood caries at any age, both on milk and permanent teeth, is mandatory.

There are several reasons why caries of baby teeth should be treated before the age of 5-6:

The baby tooth preserves space for the permanent tooth and stimulates its growth.
It takes part in the chewing function and, therefore, in the digestion process.
Baby teeth affected by caries are a source of chronic infection in the child’s body. In addition, the root of the baby tooth is located next to the germ of the permanent tooth. If caries in children is not treated, the inflammatory process can affect permanent teeth even before they erupt.
Healthy baby teeth are necessary for a child to develop high-quality speech skills and correct pronunciation of sounds.
If parents do not treat their child's caries, this can lead to untimely loss of baby teeth. Because of this, other teeth in the row shift, permanent teeth begin to cut in the wrong place, which leads to malocclusion.
Early loss of a baby tooth can delay the eruption of a permanent one.

This is why it is so important to preserve baby teeth until they fall out naturally. And this can only be done if baby teeth are treated properly in a timely manner.

How will caries be treated for a one-year-old child?

For young patients, the most gentle, gentle treatment is usually selected. In modern clinics, when treating young children, doctors try to ensure that the appointment time does not exceed 30 minutes.

If anesthesia is necessary, application is mainly used; in rare cases, an anesthetic injection is given. For babies under one year of age, it is preferable to treat caries using non-invasive methods, without drilling. But such therapy is justified and effective only if caries is detected early at the spot stage.

The most popular methods of treating caries in children.

Remineralization.

Remineralizing therapy at the carious stain stage helps restore the mineral composition of the enamel, restore its strength and prevent the destruction of dental tissues. The essence of the method is that gels and pastes containing phosphorus, calcium and other components beneficial to dental health are applied to the surface of the enamel. Remineralization can be carried out both in a dental clinic and at home, using products recommended by the doctor. Home treatment is preferable for one-year-old children, because the mother or another family member will treat the teeth, and the baby will feel comfortable.

Silvering.

Today this technique is considered outdated, although in some clinics it is still used to treat caries in children under three years of age. The essence of the method is that the enamel is coated with a 30% solution of silver nitrate, which neutralizes the activity of bacteria and stops the process of tooth decay. Among the main disadvantages of the method is a decrease in the aesthetics of the smile, because after silvering, white teeth turn black.

Ozone therapy.

A modern non-contact method of caries treatment that is suitable for children of any age. It is based on the antibacterial effect of ozone, which neutralizes carious lesions at an early stage and disinfects the tooth. Usually ozone therapy is combined with remineralization. First, the affected area is cleaned with ozone, and then the enamel is coated with strengthening compounds.

Which treatment method to choose for a particular child is determined by the dentist after the first appointment.