Caries treatment is often associated with discomfort for the patient, and therefore many people avoid going to the dentist. As a result of not treating caries, some complications occur and the situation begins to get worse. Scientists, together with dentists, have been developing treatments in dentistry for years to help avoid such an uncomfortable condition. And now there's a new way to treat tooth decay!
As a result of their work, dentists at a university in Missouri have developed a unique device that works using cold plasma from a plasma torch. With this development, dentists will be able to treat caries this way in the near future. In the study, scientists saw that by directing a plasma beam into a cavity, the number of bacteria that cause the disease process decreased hundreds of times, the tooth tissue affected by caries was cleaned much faster, and both the doctor and the patient saved time. After this procedure, the cavity becomes sterile and ready to place the filling. Another advantage of plasma cavity treatment is that the dental tissue is chemically modified after the action of the plasma beam, thus improving the quality of the seal with the filling material. This makes it possible to extend the life of the fillings. Plasma cavity treatment has no side effects. In fact, with this method, dental tissues are completely protected. The risk of secondary caries is essentially nonexistent and most importantly, the procedure is painless. Full cavity treatment with cold plasma takes no more than 30 seconds, saving patients and dentists valuable time. This method is one of the most harmless methods used in the treatment of caries. Because while the low plasma temperature kills microbes, it does not affect the tooth pulp.
It should not be forgotten that plasma has other important properties that we should not forget for medicine. When high temperature is applied to a substance, plasma is formed and in the process electrons are released, killing bacteria. This type of method is often used to disinfect surgical instruments. Modern technologies in dentistry are constantly developing, and although the plasma device is not yet well known, new features of the plasma torch in dentistry will begin to be learned in the near future.
