Prophylaxis

99% of all adults suffer from caries or periodontitis.

Therefore in Germany every year more than 70 Million teeth are filled, 13 Million are crowned and 15 Million are extracted, because they couldn’t be saved. It is amazing how easily we can take, that a tooth is filled or even extracted. With no other part of our body we would accept, that it is rotten and replaced with plastic or metal for the most part, before reaching half of one’s life expectancy.

» Caries and periodontitis are infectious diseases caused by bacteria:

The oral cavity is populated with countless bacteria, which stick on the surface of the teeth and produce the dental plaque. In some areas the plaque hardens and cannot be removed by simple tooth brushing.

The excretes of these bacteria are acids and toxins, which attack the teeth, the gum and the jaw bone and result in caries (tooth decay), gum bleeding and periodontitis (loose teeth).

» Today we know, that tooth brushing, twice a day, is not enough to avoid caries and periodontitis.

Clinical experience of the last years has proven, that patients who get an individual prophylaxis treatment regularly can keep their teeth healthy up to an old age.

Individual prophylaxis is an individually adjusted care system to avoid caries and periodontitis.

» If caries and periodontitis are caused by known bacteria, why do we need an individual care system?

Because the reasons why teeth are infested with bacteria differ from patient to patient and depend on genetic handicaps, dental malposition, insufficient fillings or prosthesis, composition of saliva, ineffective cleaning technique, nutrition and even sleeping habits.

The objective of the individual prophylaxis is to determine individual risk of the patient to suffer from caries and periodontitis and to eradicate them.

First we have a talk with the patient and analyze his nutrition and dental hygiene habits. Later we examine the mouth cavity and teach the optimal dental hygiene technique.

The most important part of the individual prophylaxis is the PTC, the professional tooth cleaning. As already mentioned, tooth brushing twice a day and tartar scaling twice a year are not sufficient to avoid caries and periodontitis, because there are various kinds of plaque, caused by coffee, tea, tobacco and food colours, which stick on the surface of teeth and support the growth of bacterial populations.

These kinds of plaque cannot be removed by normal tooth brushing. Besides there are areas with a higher risk of decay, because they cannot be reached by a tooth brush, like crowding of teeth, interdental space or insufficient fillings or crowns.

Through professional tooth cleaning all areas of every single tooth are completely cleaned, polished and fluoridated by different instruments and material.