Curing Cavities

7to7 Dental Offers Innovative Treatment to Heal Teeth from the Inside Out

By Amy Morgan

 

You have a cavity. No one likes to hear those words. And almost as bad is the ominous news that your dentist is “watching a tooth.” While applying fluoride to the teeth could make them stronger before a cavity began to develop, once the enamel had been breached, there was little to be done – just wait until the weak spot was deep enough to require a filling. But recently, a new product called Curodont has been introduced in the United States to treat early tooth decay and regenerate tooth enamel. 

 

“It literally heals your tooth from the inside out,” said Mandy Dennis, R.D.H., who directs Hygiene Operations for 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics’ 

11 locations.

 

7to7 Dental began offering Curodont in December, and Mandy personally has already administered it hundreds of times. 

 

Easy and painless, the dental hygienist applies the solution directly to the trouble area on the tooth surface. Curodont’s peptide P11-4 seeps into the tooth and creates a scaffold to rebuild the demineralized area. It attracts the calcium and phosphate chemicals already present in the saliva (which are actually the same minerals that make up tooth enamel.) The minerals build upon the peptide scaffold, which literally works like the rebar in a foundation to undergird the cement. Over time, the minerals crystallize and create a new enamel-like structure that becomes part of the tooth. Viola - cavity prevented!

Curodont is simple to use. The hygienist rehydrates a tiny white square of the freeze-dried peptide solution and applies it with a single-use swab. “We place the actual material on the tooth,” Mandy said. “And we don’t open a cube until we need it,” which ensures a sanitary and safe process. The procedure takes barely five minutes. 

 

Braces-wearers can benefit from Curodont as well. Orthodontic patients may notice white spots of demineralization on teeth where brackets allowed plaque to linger on teeth. Curodont can heal these areas on the teeth and restore them to their 

natural color. 

 

Curodont offers a solution instead of waiting until a problem has exacerbated. It’s pain free, requires no shots or drilling and prevents a tooth from potential damage. Every time a tooth is cut on, it damages its structural integrity, setting up a cascade of potential future problems – a larger filling, a crown, a root canal, and potential tooth loss, Mandy warned.

 

The treatment’s advent further underscores the importance of regular bi-annual dental visits, because your hygienist should be able to notice any developing problems in time to treat them. “We no longer have to just watch a cavity,” Mandy said. 

 

7to7 Dental carefully considered the research before bringing Curodont into their practice. “We made sure this was the best technology with proven results to offer our patients,” Mandy proclaimed. The practice invested in training their dental professionals to offer the innovative treatment. 

 

While most insurances don’t cover Curodont, its cost remains much lower than the more invasive procedures required once damage has progressed — and it protects the integrity of the tooth. Patients covered by 7to7 Dental’s Platinum Plan do benefit from a 10% discount on Curdont. So don’t put off that next dental appointment. You now have another compelling reason to stay current with your office visits every six-months.