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There is an apparent trend happening in the world of dentistry: more fillings.\u00a0 Patients say their dentists’ are finding more cavities these days than they ever did before.\u00a0 So, what\u2019s going on?<\/p>\nThere is an apparent trend happening in the world of dentistry: more fillings.\u00a0 Patients say their dentists’ are finding more cavities these days than they ever did before.\u00a0 So, what\u2019s going on?<\/p>\n
Finding more problems<\/strong> While some dentists claim the technology is in the best interests of the patient, critics say the procedures are unnecessary and painful, and are driving up the costs of care.<\/p>\n \u201cA better approach is watchful waiting,\u201d said Dr. James Bader, a research professor at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry. \u201cExamine it again in six months.\u201d<\/p>\n Big money in fillings<\/strong> \u201cIf you were to go to a physician and he were to diagnose risk factors for heart disease, the physician would take action and treat the early signs of disease and try to prevent future disease,\u201d said Dr. Douglas Young, who helped develop a standardized cavity risk assessment adopted by the dental association.<\/p>\n While this guideline was adopted, not every dentist adheres to it.\u00a0 Treatment options are up to each dentist.<\/p>\n Best advice: Get a second opinion if your number of cavities skyrocket.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There is an apparent trend happening in the world of dentistry: more fillings.\u00a0 Patients say their dentists’ are finding more cavities these days than they ever did before.\u00a0 So, what\u2019s going on? Finding more problems According to an article in the New York Times, increasingly sophisticated detection tools are causing more dentists to find and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-health-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\nAccording to an article in the New York Times, increasingly sophisticated detection tools are causing more dentists to find and fill problem areas that may or may not develop into cavities.<\/p>\n
\nEvery cavity requires a painkiller<\/a>, drilling<\/a> and filling.\u00a0 Such operations typically cost $88 to $350 per filling, according to a 2007 survey in the magazine Dental Economics. According to the American Dental Association, about 175 million filling operations are performed in the United States every year.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/t1.jpg\")
Better care, or better profit margin<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s a debate that is currently in the forefront of dentistry.\u00a0 Is this new technology leading to better oral care, or is it just drumming up more business during a tough economic time.\u00a0 Critics say watch and wait, proponents say waiting doesn\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n