Laser Cavity Detection FAQ
Arlington, TX

By the time that you begin to notice that you have dental cavities, they may have already become quite severe. When you are visiting your dentist in Arlington regularly, he or she may suspect that you have cavities long before they are visible to you or cause you any pain. At Rush Creek Dentistry, we believe early detection is essential to fighting off cavities and tooth decay for our patients in Arlington. We use the most advanced tools available to diagnose cavities and determine the best course of treatment. One of these tools is the DIAGNOdent hand-held caries detection pen.

When you have your teeth cleaned at Rush Creek Dentistry in Arlington, we will also use the DIAGNOdent pen if we suspect that you may be developing a cavity. The pen examines the tooth using a laser that functions at a certain frequency that will react to decaying dental material. The pen will immediately give you and the dentist a reading that will indicate the level of the decay in the tooth. Your dentist can use this number to determine the treatment necessary for the cavities in your tooth.

Unlike traditional methods of determining whether you have a cavity, such as poking and prodding the likely sensitive tooth or taking troublesome X-rays, the DIAGNOdent pen is entirely comfortable and convenient for both you and your dentist. It enables your dentist to confirm whether you really have a cavity or not before beginning treatment or damaging the structure of the tooth.

If you are developing a cavity, we can start one of a number of different treatments to help your tooth stay strong and healthy. Without treatment, cavities will continue to develop and eat away at your teeth until they grow and extend deeper into your tooth. In time, this will lead to infection and toothaches that could require the removal of the tooth. By catching the cavities early enough with special detection tools like the DIAGNOdent pen, Rusk Creek Dentistry can help to fight cavities and preserve many of our patient's natural teeth for many more years. Contact us today!

When an Arlington dentist reviews the need for cavity detection for repair, it may bring to mind poking and prodding in the mouth that can be incredibly uncomfortable. X-rays are often needed as well to look for cavities that are not visible. However, thanks to continued advances in dentistry, patients can now enjoy laser cavity detection at Rush Creek Dentistry.

At Rush Creek Dentistry in Arlington, we understand how important it is to find and diagnose cavities as soon as possible, before they become a bigger problem. At every recall visit, we will use our laser cavity detection device to help us find hidden caries or infections in the teeth that may otherwise not be noticeable. Before drilling into a tooth, the dentists at Rush Creek Dentistry can find out whether or not there is a need for treatment.

Laser cavity detection uses a handheld device that can notify a dentist of any concerns underneath the tooth surface. The pen scans the enamel and if the light detects a problem, it signals the dentist immediately on the display. Then, further diagnostic services can be performed and a treatment plan determined. This may includes series of x-rays before fillings are discussed.

Before treatment, the dentist reviews the process with patients so they know what to expect before, during, and after the DIAGNOdent process. Patients may even ask questions about this handy tool to help them better understand how it can effectively detect areas of decay and infection deep within the tooth’s structure without it being visible.

If you are interested in a more comfortable experience at the dentist, now is a great time to work with the team of Rush Creek Dentistry. Our practice invests in patients by obtaining some of the most advanced solutions for dental health and wellness, including DIAGNOdent. New patients are welcome to visit our practice and learn about the ways in which diagnostic and preventative dentistry has changed over just the last few years with non-invasive examination tools such as this.