One of the recent trends in the dental world is the emphasis on taking a more natural, holistic approach to patient treatment.
One of the ways our Wyoming, MI family dentist achieves this is through bioactive dentistry. The word “bioactive” simply means “having a biological effect.” Bioactive dentistry is the process of using dental materials that your body will react to, healing and improving your teeth over time instead of simply patching over imperfections. Read on to learn more about what can do for you.
Bioactive Material in Dentistry
is any material that your body has a reaction to. Usually, dental procedures like drilling and filling a cavity are completed with materials such as porcelain, metal amalgam, or resin. The finished result might look similar to your natural teeth, but they don’t provide any additional benefits in terms of the structural integrity of your tooth.
Bioactive materials, on the other hand, provoke a response from the tissues in your mouth. When our bioactive dentist uses these materials to repair a tooth, you’ll get more than just a natural appearance: your teeth will improve, too.
Benefits of Bioactive Dentistry
The procedure for using bioactive materials in dentistry is much the same as it is for other materials. The difference is in the overall effect these materials have on your teeth. Bioactive materials can help prevent root canals and reverse cavities simply by encouraging your mouth to heal itself.
Many traditional materials used in the dental procedures of decades past, such as metal amalgam, can actually weaken your tooth over time regardless of the strength of the material. This is because the material does not fully bond with your tooth; it simply patches the damage, like glopping new asphalt over a pothole. It’s functional, but you can tell that the tooth is not the same as before.
Bioactive materials, on the other hand, stimulate the production of dentin in your teeth. In the case of a cavity or root canal, the dentin has been weakened and would usually need to be drilled out and filled with another material. By using bioactive material the dentin can repair itself over time, reducing the severity of the dental procedures you would need.
Bioactive materials are also just as strong as composite resin and look the same, meaning you won’t be able to detect the restoration in your smile. They can be used for prevention, as the chance of developing a secondary cavity is highly reduced when bioactive materials are used for fillings. Bioactive materials do a great job of sealing out bacteria so your teeth remain healthy and intact.
Are you interested in learning more about what bioactive dentistry can do for you? We can help! Dr. Helmus is our Wyoming, MI bioactive dentist, and he’s always willing to answer questions about this exciting new dental technology. To ask questions or to schedule your appointment, call River Ridge Dentistry at (616) 538-7320.