5 Reasons to Visit Whitehorse Dental for No-Drill Dentistry

Dental treatments and checkups are vital in helping us maintain and protect our teeth and gums. They are essential for healthy teeth, oral hygiene and a beautiful smile. But the thought of visiting a dentist is not something most children and adults look forward to.

Dental anxiety, phobias and fear of dental drills may become a deterrent in getting the treatment kids need for cavities, tooth decay or other dental problems.

This is where no drill dentistry for children comes in. With the latest reports showing tooth decay in 1 in 3 Australian children by the age of 5, no-drill dentistry offers a preventive solution to save children’s primary teeth.  The cause of this high prevalence in tooth decay can be due to high sugar intake, the increase in consumption of sweet drinks (such as fruit juice), hidden sugars in prepackaged foods, and eating too frequently such that the teeth don’t get a break.

No drill dentistry for children allows dentists to treat tooth decay without drilling and filling over to prevent it from spreading. This makes it the ideal treatment for children who fear dental drills or find it difficult to sit still for longer treatments.

Whitehorse Dental offers no-drill dentistry in Blackburn by qualified dentists dedicated to improving your child’s oral health so they can have healthier and stronger teeth now and in the future.

Read on to find out more about no drill dentistry and how Whitehorse Dental is the right clinic for this service. 

What is No-Drill Dentistry?

No drill dentistry is a temporary solution to treat tooth decay in children. It involves using a special medication called Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). This liquid medication is painted onto the decayed teeth to freeze the decay and stop the cavity from getting bigger. The silver in SDF kills all the bacteria causing tooth decay while the fluoride hardens the tooth surface.   The result is a hardened tooth structure which doesn’t continue to decay, however the colour is a dark black colour.  

In patients where the decay is small, the application of SDF is enough to protect the tooth. But when there is a larger cavity, we may fill it (without drilling) or place a protective crown on top. Unlike traditional “drill and fill” treatments, no drill dentistry doesn’t take longer than 20 to 30 minutes and is completed in one sitting.

No drill dentistry is commonly used for children because it’s a temporary solution for children whose baby teeth will fall or be removed in the future. Due to the dark discolouration of the tooth, it is generally not used in permanent adult teeth. 

The integrity of the tooth and any fillings that may be on it are checked by our dentists when the child returns for their routine half-yearly checkup. There’s no limit to the number of times a child gets no drill dentistry.

Why do we Offer No Drill Dentistry Only for Children?

No-drill dentistry is a minimally invasive procedure generally used for children to treat a decayed tooth. Its main purpose is to stop the decay from spreading to healthy, permanent teeth or new teeth that have yet to erupt.

A recent study by the University of Sydney shows that dental caries can be stopped, reversed and prevented without using a dental drill and filling. This reduces the need for drilling and fillings by 30 to 50% with preventive oral care, thus saving young children from invasive and time-exhaustive dental procedures.

There are several reasons why Whitehorse Dentaloffers no drill dentistry as an option for children. They include:

• The silver fluoride makes the decayed area of the tooth black. It is sometimes filled with white filling, but the underlying colour can still look a bit grey.
• The type of material for this type of method is not that strong and not feasible for an adult tooth. The child’s baby teeth will eventually fall out  in the future as opposed to adults who already have  permanent teeth
• If the tooth decay is very severe, it may require multiple applications of silver fluoride to ensure the tooth decay is properly arrested.

Why No-Drill Dentistry is Helpful?

Young children may find the experience of getting their teeth drilled extremely traumatising. The sound of the drill, anaesthesia and the environment are things some younger kids are not ready to face.

With no drill dentistry, there is no reason to put a child through this type of ordeal. Instead, the liquid medication is painted on,  with a filling or crown on top in a shorter and simpler procedure.

Some of the benefits and disadvantages of no-drill dentistry include:

Pros

• It’s completely painless
• There’s no need to use anaesthetic
• Treatment is faster
• Suitable for kids of any age
• Can treat multiple cavities
• Holds the tooth until it’s ready to fall out 

Cons

• The tooth gets dark because of the fluoride
• The filling doesn’t last as long
• It may need top-ups until the tooth is removed 

5 Reasons to Visit Our Whitehorse Dental for No-Drill Dentistry

• Experienced Dentists

We have a team of highly qualified dentists who have received advanced training in the United States and Australia with ongoing training to further their skills and techniques.

We believe in providing quality dental care with a focus on preventive dentistry and treatments tailored to the needs of the patients – with state of the art equipment and unmatched hygiene standards for your comfort and long-term health outcomes. 

• Innovative Research, Training Tools, and Services

We are continuously working on our professional development by learning the latest dental techniques and innovations. The rise of tooth decay in Australian children because of the high intake of processed foods and sugar has motivated us to educate our young patients on the risks of dental caries and poor oral hygiene, informing them of the benefits of preventive dentistry to achieve lasting results for children. 

• They Care for their Patients

We aim to provide a caring and comfortable environment to all our patients with extensive research to provide dental solutions while addressing mental issues that children might get from doing the procedure.

Our goal is to reduce anxiety and trauma for children from the traditional way of dealing with tooth decay and fillings and help them develop a friendly and lasting relationship with their dentists for optimal oral health as they grow older.

• Unique Service 

No drill dentistry is a unique service not offered by many dental clinics in Blackburn. Whitehorse Dental is one of the few dental practices that provide this service, especially in this vicinity. This gives you the convenience to avail of this service without the hassle of travelling to Melbourne for treatment and the ensuing checkups. 

• Child-friendly Practice

If you notice signs of tooth decay in your children’s teeth or if they complain about tooth pain, book an appointment with one of our dentists. With no drill dentistry and other treatments uniquely tailored to the needs of young children, we’ll make your child’s dental visit as easy and comfortable as possible.

 Book a consultation today.