Miami Dental

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Incipient Lesions

One of the reasons it’s so important to get regular dental check-ups is so you can be assessed for developing caries. These infections on the surfaces of teeth will result in cavities if they are not stopped in time. Fortunately, there is an easy way for us at Miami Beach and North Miami Beach offices of Doctors Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk to identify incipient caries: by the white spots they create on enamel.


Plaque traps the acid that oral bacteria excrete as part of their metabolization process. As the amount of plaque on a tooth increases, the tooth is exposed to more acid. Eventually, it will begin losing some of the minerals that make up its enamel. When this happens, the tooth takes on a chalky appearance, which is why incipient lesions are often called “white spot lesions.” The white spot can transform into a cavity in as few as thirty days.


While a lesion is still in the white spot stage, it is easy to reverse. The patient can deprive oral bacteria of sustenance by reducing their intake of simple carbohydrates and get rid of them through better brushing. Once the lesion is free of bacteria, the teeth can be remineralized with fluoride treatments. But if a cavity developed, it will have to be filled in with a prosthetic material. Sealants can help to prevent further decay, but people with fixed orthodontic brackets will simply have to get more comfortable using "Christmas tree" toothbrushes. If the white spot has left a scar, we may consider covering it with a veneer.


Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163rdSt, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami Dental through a contact form.


 

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