Sinnonhyeon Laminate, Middle-Aged Cavities, “Cervical Caries Can Be Treated in One Day with Laminate”

Sinnonhyeon Laminate, Middle-Aged Cavities, “Cervical Caries Can Be Treated in One Day with Laminate”

Hello.

#SinnonhyeonLaminate #SinnonhyeonMiddleAgedCavities #MiddleAgedCavityTreatment

#GangnamWhiteDreamDentalClinic.

There is a cavity pattern commonly seen in middle-aged patients in their 40s and 50s.

The cavities we usually think of are

those that form on the occlusal surface of the teeth, that is, the chewing surface.

During growth and childhood, food tends to get stuck on the occlusal surface a lot,

so cavities often develop in this area.

But in middle age, cavities occur less often on the occlusal surface.

Why is that?

Because chewing motions repeated thousands of times a day

cause wear on the occlusal surface, reducing the depth of the grooves so less food gets trapped,

and because enamel absorbs calcium and fluoride from saliva, leading to remineralization of the teeth,

making them more resistant to bacteria and acids, so cavities do not form as easily.

Or it may also be because many people have already received cavity treatment on the occlusal surface.

Then do cavities not develop in middle age?

No.

In middle age, cavities are more likely to develop not on the occlusal surface, but on the cervical area of the teeth, near the roots.

That is why these cavities are also called middle-aged cavities.

▲ Intraoral photo before Sinnonhyeon laminate treatment, cervical caries and aged anterior resin restorations. (25.02.11)

As people enter middle age, their gums are not as healthy as before,

so periodontitis develops more easily and gum recession also begins.

As a result, the cervical and root surface areas that were originally inside the jawbone begin to become exposed.

This area has a thinner enamel layer than the crown portion of the tooth,

so it is extremely vulnerable to bacteria and acids.

That is why cavities commonly occur at the boundary between the tooth and the gum, in the cervical area.

This patient was also very concerned about cavities that developed in the cervical area.

Because the cavity appeared on the front teeth, which are clearly visible,

they had even developed the habit of opening their mouth only slightly when speaking or laughing.

The concerning part about cervical caries is that the distance to the tooth root is short,

so if treatment is delayed even a little, it can progress to tooth extraction.

To determine whether the tooth could be saved and how treatment should proceed,

we took an X-ray.

The #11 incisor, which had a deep cervical cavity, had also developed root inflammation because of the cavity.

Root canal treatment is required to treat this root inflammation.

Root inflammation means that bacteria have contaminated the internal nerve canal.

Since bacteria have multiplied inside the canal,

the root canal must be disinfected, cleaned, and sealed.

I do not have time to come to the clinic several times.

I barely made time to come today—can I get treatment today?

Root canal treatment normally requires 2–3 repeat visits at one-week intervals.

This is because the contaminated canal must be repeatedly disinfected so the inside can be thoroughly cleaned and sealed.

However, unlike molars, front teeth have a single canal,

and the canal is straight rather than curved,

so same-day root canal treatment is possible. ^^V

▲ Same-day root canal treatment for a front tooth, Sinnonhyeon laminate (25.02.11)

After explaining this to the patient in detail, we began treatment.

For the #11 tooth, where root inflammation had developed due to decay, we performed same-day root canal treatment

and planned to restore it with a crown.

For the adjacent teeth with cervical caries, we decided to remove the decayed areas and then use laminate

to prevent further decay and protect the weakened teeth.

This is the photo after root canal treatment and removal of cervical caries.

To carry out treatment in a way that preserved the nerve and natural tooth structure as much as possible,

we shaped the teeth while retaining the discolored areas that were not caries.

If you get laminate treatment, they say you must always have root canal treatment because of sensitivity— is that true?

The nerve inside the tooth supplies nutrients to the tooth.

Root canal treatment is the procedure that removes this nerve.

So when a tooth undergoes root canal treatment,

the supply of nutrients is cut off,

and the tooth gradually becomes dry and brittle, and the color of the tooth begins to darken.

It would not be good to force root canal treatment on a tooth that has no problems, would it?

The patient only had a crown placed on the #11 tooth that underwent root canal treatment,

and the surrounding adjacent teeth were treated with laminate. ^^

To fit the patient’s busy schedule as much as possible,

we performed cavity treatment and tooth preparation in the morning,

then placed the fabricated prosthetics in the afternoon.

(Placement of same-day laminate prosthetics: 25.02.11)

※ Because prosthetic treatment was performed on the front teeth, which are highly visible,

gum contouring was also performed for aesthetic purposes to match the height and shape of the front gum line.

One week later, this was when the patient came in briefly for a regular checkup.

The soft tissue of the gums that had undergone contouring had fully healed,

and the tooth heights were aligned evenly, making the teeth look much cleaner and more refreshed. ^^

[Same person, photographed in the same environment / Treatment date: 25.02.11 / After photo date: 25.02.18]

The color and shape of the prosthetics were decided after discussion between the patient and our in-house dental technician.

The patient said they were very satisfied with having the desired shape and tooth line,

and the treatment was completed.

Today, we looked at a case of treating middle-aged cavities, a condition that commonly occurs in middle-aged patients,

specifically cervical caries, using laminate.

As mentioned earlier, middle-aged cavities can lead to tooth loss if treatment is delayed.

So for the prevention of periodontitis, which is common in middle age, and for the early detection of cavities,

we hope you develop the habit of visiting the dentist regularly.

It is already more than halfway through 2025.

If you have not yet received your once-a-year 2025 National Health Insurance scaling,

please visit a nearby dental clinic and also get a comprehensive oral examination. ^^

Thank you for reading this long post.

This has been Sinnonhyeon Laminate, Gangnam White Dream Dental Clinic.