Tooth preservation
Patient's tooth before sealant
Patient's tooth after sealant
As a preventive dentistry practice, we strive to save your natural teeth and prevent gum disease. Dr. Maron uses the following treatments to accomplish these goals:
- Sealants—Teeth have deep grooves in the biting surface, which are susceptible to decay. In fact, 80 percent of cavities form in these grooves. We seal teeth by cleaning out the grooves and then flowing plastic (called sealant) into these grooves. Patients who have sealants may never have cavities in these teeth as long as they properly maintain them. We evaluate the status of sealants in all adult and baby teeth at every visit.
- Root canal therapy—If the nerve of the tooth becomes infected or irreparably damaged, the nerve will die. To preserve the tooth and counter pain and infection, Dr. Maron performs root canal therapy. He removes the infected nerve tissue and seals the nerve space with rubber. The tooth will no longer be alive; however, it will be functional. Although root canal therapy is the subject of many jokes, new techniques have made it a usually painless and reliable procedure.
- Implantable antibiotics for gum disease—In localized infected areas of the gum, we can insert an antibiotic. This yellow powder contains a time-released antibiotic that kills bacteria in 7-10 days.
- Perio Protect®—This at-home technique treats gum disease with customized mouth trays that deliver medication beneath the gum. It is an easy, inexpensive, and non-surgical approach. A side benefit is that it whitens teeth.
- Fluoride treatment—To reharden tooth that has been softened by decay or acidic foods, we apply fluoride varnish. Fluoride makes the teeth more insoluble in acids, thus strengthening the teeth and deterring tooth decay.
- Evaluation of tooth wear—Dr. Maron looks for loss of tooth structure. Patients can lose tooth structure due to excess acid, grinding of teeth, or excessive wear from tooth brushing with a toothpaste. He may recommend a low abrasion toothpaste such as Pronamel, seeing a physician for antacid medications, or wearing an appliance at night to protect the teeth.
For more information, see our FAQs on tooth and gum problems.