Can Air Abrasion be used in all situations?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Air Abrasion is really only suitable for removing cavites which are on the chewing surface or side of the teeth. Cavities which are inbetween the teeth are not candidates for Air Abrasion because the risk of damaging the adjacent teeth is too high. The main advantage of the drill over Air Abrasion is that it can be used to make precise holes in the teeth, which is absolutely necessary when going after cavities inbetween teeth. Air Abrasion is also not used for the removal of amalgam (mercury/silver) fillings because it would release most of the mercury into the air as part of the abrasion process. Large cavities are not suitable for Air Abrasion because we get too close to the nerve of the tooth which can be painful, even with the Air Abrasion. Teeth with large cavities always need to be anesthetized, which is another good argument for early detection of cavities. If you have any questions about Air Abrasion or any of our other services, please call our
