Prevention and Education - The Best Steps to Low Cost Dental Decay Treatment

By Susan Braden
Published Jun 07 2010

Many people don't know that tooth decay is classified as a chronic disease, and it is a tragedy that more cases of tooth decay are not prevented. Though doctors attempt to institute preventative measures for other chronic diseases, such as diabetes (e.g. giving patients insulin), this disease does not often receive the same attention.

The more cavities dentists must fill, the more low cost dental work will become out of reach for individuals. Dentistry professionals note that too many dentists respond to tooth decay by simply filling cavities, rather than emphasizing preventative measures before cavities appear.

Cleanings, however, cost a lot less than fillings do, and the more preventative measures dentists take during cleanings, the less likely patients may develop cavities. Perhaps vital preventative measures have been discouraged by the common practice of insurance companies to pay dentists on a per-filling basis.

“We need to change this way of thinking, because the old method of ‘drill and fill’ won’t stop the cycle of this global public health problem,” says Amid Ismail, Dean of the Kornberg School of Dentistry.

Aiming to change this pattern, the Kornberg School of Dentistry held a group awareness session this year to discuss the most effective ways to prevent tooth decay. Ismail hosted this session for dentistry educators and researchers from a variety of nations, addressing the training of future dentists and improvements in low cost tooth decay treatment.

Tooth decay affects between 60 to 90 percent of teenagers and adults, according to the World Health Organization. Ismail says he believes that if dentists shift the focus of dentistry to more preventative measures, low cost dental work may become available to more people who need it.

“Tooth decay progresses in stages. When spotted in its early stages, the disease can be managed conservatively. Moreover, cavities come in different shapes and sizes, so smaller ones can also be filled with mini-restorations,” Ismail says.

Such a strategy will create cheaper treatment options, allowing patients to benefit from preventative measures in the early stages of tooth decay, and/or mini-restorations tailored to cavity size, rather than more expensive restorative procedures.

Ismail is the co-creator of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System, a system that can track the extent of tooth decay. Ismail’s system and his support of preventative dentistry treatments may change the face of dentistry as we know it. “This new model will streamline the patient care process, eliminate long delays and waiting times and focus on maintaining health, not just treating the problem,” Ismail says. “If we can change clinical practices, then we can change the environment for both patients and [dentistry] students,” he says.

For more low cost dental tips from Susan, click here.