The place where the tooth grows into gumis called the neck of the tooth. The name comes from the location of the disease. Cervical caries is the most serious and dangerous type of caries, because it affects the tooth in the most vulnerable place - at the base. If it is not treated, a deepening of the disease occurs with the damage of all the canals of the tooth, which inevitably leads to its loss. This type of caries is mainly observed in people older than thirty years.
Content
Cervical caries
Causes of
The causes are cariogenic bacteria that inhabit plaque and stone. Microorganisms process food residues, turning them into organic acids, which spoil tooth enamelwashing calcium out of it. Change their composition and become pathogenic, thereby causing disease, microorganisms can with poor oral care and on the basis of the anatomical features of the tooth enamel. In some patients, there is a predisposition to detachment of the gums. Because this area is poorly cleaned from food debris, a large number of pathogenic microorganisms are formed in the gingival pockets, which cause cervical caries.
Thus, the reasons are as follows:
- insufficient hygienic care;
- anatomical predisposition.
Mechanical damage to the enamel of the tooth neck can also contribute to the occurrence of caries, it can cause damage abrasive toothpastes and tooth powderswhich damage the enamel, open the way to pathogenic bacteria. In this place the enamel is the most subtle and needs constant care and attention.
Spine caries can spread with frequent use of acidic products or drugs that make the enamel porous. The first sign that the enamel is thinned and in need of care, is the reaction of the teeth to sour and cold. This factor increases the risk of disease.
To strengthen and make a more dense enamel in the root zone, you need to apply special preparations in the cervical area, these manipulations are performed by a dentist, but you can do it yourself.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of cervical caries are different, if they are detected seek qualified help immediately specialist. They are similar to the caries symptoms of any other part of the tooth.
The disease in some cases is found in the chair when examined by a dentist. The initial stage of cervical caries, a photo it is shown below, easily treated with the help of remineralization, without the use of a drill.
If there are pains at the use of food, and at survey the doctor notices a dark speck, then this stage already demands more careful treatment. With this type of caries there is always pain and formed carious cavities, as there is a thinning of enamel.
Also, thin enamel reacts to various stimuli, for example, mechanical - painful sensations appear during tooth brushing.
Diagnosis of the disease
Cervical caries is well diagnosed, as the affected areas are visible to the naked eye. The patient himself, looking in the mirror, can easily find himself in white chalk-like areas at the base of the tooth. But sometimes doctors use special solutions for accurate diagnosis and ask the patient to rinse their mouths with them.
These dyes fall only into demineralized porous enamel, and cannot penetrate into a healthy, calcium-coated one. The subject rinses out the mouth with clean water and immediately sees where the paint has lingered. After a few hours, this color disappears.
Cervical caries or wedge-shaped defect?
Another common dental disease is wedge-shaped defect. It appears on the outside of the tooth as a V-shaped defect. This "wedge" is directed up or down towards the jaw. The teeth that suffer the most when chewing - fangs and premolars are most often affected. Many patients confuse a wedge-shaped defect with cervical caries, since their localization is the same, and they require treatment for a caries.
But this can not be done, because there are differences between these diseases.
- In the case of a wedge-shaped defect, the color of the tooth enamel remains the same, and the damaged V-shaped area remains dense and polished.
- Cervical caries has a loose, rough structure, brown color and irregular shape.
- The wedge-shaped defect has a long-term period of development, and cervical caries is able to destroy a tooth in a short period of time of several months.
How to treat cervical caries?
Modern treatment of cervical caries is similar to the treatment of any other part of the tooth and should be reduced to a number of medical procedures that must be carried out by a dentist. But, unable to start treatment without proper diagnosis to identify the stage of the disease.
Stages of cervical caries
As you know, the disease is divided into four stages.
- At the first stage of the disease in the area around the enamel, the enamel changes color, becoming dark.
- During the second stage a chalky rough spot is formed.
- The third stage is characterized by the appearance of a "hollow", with it the affected areas are even more noticeable.
- In the fourth stage, the channels are affected.
Treatment of cervical caries, which is at the initial stage, at which only a speck is visible, and the enamel is not badly damaged, comes down to applications with drugsaimed at compacting enamel in this area.
But in order to completely get rid of the color change in this damaged area, it is necessary to choose one of the options described below.
First option.
In the first version, the doctor puts on the damaged area. whitening or pickling gelwhich discolor pigments. But because of these manipulations, the fabric becomes even more subtle and permeable to both the coloring matter and the tooth. Then the dentist continues the treatment and applies a special compound to the cervical area of the tooth to strengthen and reduce the permeability of the enamel.
If attempts to bleach enamel have not ended effectively and the color has remained the same, then this only means that the caries lasted long enough and has already managed to paint the deeper layers of enamel. In this case, the dentist should resort to the second treatment option.
Second option
The dentist begins to carefully polish the painted enamel with various polishes, then applies a medicinal composition, saturating the enamel.
If caries, already more and more deeply, already touched dentin, then such treatment will not have effect, because it is porous and requires a deeper color. In this case, the treatment of cervical caries is carried out in traditional ways. The dentist gently removes all injuries and restores the structure of the tooth with filling materials.
Features of treatment
In this disease, caries is located in the maximum proximity to the gum, which interferes with the treatment, complicates it considerably and delays the recovery process. In the cervical area it is quite difficult to keep the working field dry for reliable treatment. In case of moisture, high probability of poor fixation of the seal, because of what it can fall out and the doctor is forced to carry out the procedure again.
Another treatment method
There is another way to treat this disease is to accurately reproduce the contour and volume of the tooth. The seals with it are rather thin, and if poor-quality material is used, the risk of its loss is great, which can lead to repeated caries.
It is important to remember that when detecting caries you must immediately consult a doctor and the sooner you begin treatment, the more effective it will be. By caring for your teeth, you contribute for many years to come.