To drill or not to drill? That is the question pondered by dental practitioners as they consider what’s best for their patients, especially those who arrive at the practice with early-stage carious lesions. Because the conventional wisdom is to watch and wait, many patients leave untreated.
When patients presented with incipient or interproximal caries, Dr. Tyler Francis often wondered what to do. “I knew there was something there, but is it worthwhile to drill the tooth to get to that little cavity? Or should we wait for it to grow bigger?”
Thanks to vVARDIS and its innovative technology, Dr. Francis now has another choice—an effective, noninvasive preventive treatment for early decay with no injections and no drilling and just 10 minutes of chair time.
A unique biomimetic system for the management of early caries through Guided Enamel Remineralization, Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus bridges the gap between prevention and invasive restorative treatment with noninvasive, pain-free treatment of early caries. With it, Dr. Francis can “treat those early-stage lesions noninvasively rather than just watching the tooth and the problem getting bigger.”
Ease of Process
Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus can be applied to all surfaces, including interproximal, and when orthodontic brackets are in place. Remineralization begins when the liquid in the applicator is brushed on the tooth and continues over the next few weeks.
“The process is very easy for patients and for clinicians, with some training to assure proper application,” said hygienist Sarah Eller, who has used Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus for about 5 months and has seen evidence of its effectiveness on radiographs. Dr. Andrew Paek is impressed with the material’s ease of use and its patient benefits, and Dr. DeLayne Lefevre praised the ease of application.
Treatment Benefits & Efficacy
With a patented low-viscosity liquid formulation, Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus diffuses into the enamel within 3 to 5 minutes, enabling salivary calcium, phosphate, and fluoride ions to begin remineralization. This Guided Enamel Remineralization has been shown to address early caries while maintaining tooth integrity.
“I didn’t want to just watch small lesions get bigger,” said Dr. Brent Stanley, who appreciates that Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus “provides an early preventive treatment option” and “best of all, can be administered by someone other than me.” Similarly, Dr. Michael Scialabba is happy to “no longer watch decay get larger,” having found it “effective for early uncavitated decay.” Dr. Lefevre has used Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus for over 9 months for enamel caries as well as orthodontic-related white spot lesions, for which she described it as “fantastic.”
Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus works on white spot lesions on anterior teeth “and does so with no staining,” reported MiQuel McRae, RDH, CDHC. Hygienist Dawn O’Connell also appreciates the lack of staining and stated, “Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus remineralizes and helps prevent large caries [that could] require restoration.”
Eller and her practice colleagues have treated roughly 150 patients with Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus, with the goal of preventing more invasive and costly restorative treatment in the future. Two months after treating a patient with it, she reported, “We could see results on 2 incipient lesions on radiographs.”
Patient Acceptance
Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus is an ideal choice for both children and adults, who are more than willing to trade injections and drilling for a noninvasive solution that prevents the need for fillings. That means clinicians can grow their practices by providing patients with a product that promotes oral health and provides a positive patient experience.
When asked what percentage of patients accepted Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus as a treatment option, the evaluators reported 60% to 100% acceptance. Dr. Francis’ patients “love how easy it is,” and Eller’s patients are “excited about the idea of no needle or drilling in addition to preventing the long-term maintenance a restoration requires.” As an advocate for preventive healthcare, Eller is especially pleased that “we’ve been able to educate patients on early caries intervention.”
Overall Satisfaction
Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus’ ounce of prevention is worth its weight in gold to both the evaluators and their patients. Eager to recommend the treatment to colleagues, Dr. Scialabba is “pleased to be offering minimally invasive care,” and Dr. Lefevre is “glad to treat without anesthetic or drill and fill” and encourages vVARDIS to get more information out to dentists and spread the word of the product’s success. “It’s a fantastic product!” said Eller. “Everyone who believes in prevention should implement this product.”