For most children, going to the dentist can be a scary ordeal. The dentist’s masked face, with their sharp, noisy materials, and their intrusive prodding inside your child’s mouth, makes it difficult to convince a kid to go back for regular check-ups. Unfortunately, not regularly going to the dentist can lead to dental complications that can really hurt them as children grow older.
Cavities
One of the most common problems that children face with their teeth is tooth decay, otherwise known as cavities or dental caries. Cavities are dental emergencies that bring lingering pain, and if left unchecked, can continue to grow and spread.
Cavities are the result of bacteria growing on your teeth. Bacteria are highly complex organisms that dwell are highly organized and are always in clusters. They form a sort of film over your teeth, all while secreting the acids that cause your teeth to ultimately decay. While ultimately adaptive to its environment, sudden extreme changes can disrupt this “film,” halting its growth.
Drilling and Filling—The Common Solution to Cavities
Bacteria is usually easily removed with regular brushing and flossing, but oftentimes, some bacteria escape a good brushing and form cavities on your teeth. This is why regular check-ups with the dentist are necessary, in order to be ahead of the spreading decay and eliminate it when necessary.
When cavities have already set on one’s teeth, the most immediate and surefire way to halt its progress would be drilling and filling. After the application of anesthesia, a dentist uses a high-speed drill to destroy the decayed parts, followed by filling the hole with plastic material.
While ultimately a safe and simple process, to the eyes of a child, this is a highly terrifying situation. This complex process is not easy to explain to a young mind, but what sticks to them is the image of a painful drill working on their already sensitive teeth.
The Child-Friendly Alternative: The Hall Technique
Luckily, for all the children (and adults) scared of going to the dentist out of fear of the drill, there is now a less invasive method of fighting cavities. The Hall Technique is a non-invasive method of halting tooth decay without using anesthesia, drills, or filling.
Formulated nearly 20 years by Dr. Nora Hall in Scotland, this method involves the use of a preformed metal crown—cementing it to the cavity-stricken tooth to halt its growth. As stated earlier, the bacteria that cause cavities to stagnate and die due to sudden changes in their environment. By sealing it off with the metal crown, the bacteria find lacking the necessary components they need to stay alive.
Why use the Hall Technique?
The Hall Technique’s popularity has grown over the years, and its effects have proven to be useful and effective. According to data, this is a method that has been truly effective in resolving cavity issues, is well-accepted by parents and children alike, and is remarkably cheaper. This non-invasive procedure is almost a third cheaper and only takes a tenth of the time required to complete compared to traditional treatments.
Conclusion
Visiting the dentist can be a scary ordeal for children with cavities, but with the introduction of the Hall Technique, your child can approach the dentist’s clinic without fear of pain. It is marginally cheaper and noticeably faster, giving incentives for both children and parents to consider this option over traditional treatments.
If you’re looking for a highly affordable and efficient dentist in Ypsilanti for all your dental needs, we are here for you! Get in touch with us now, and see what services we can provide for you.