Clinical experience, misunderstood concepts and frequently asked questions. Notes from many years of practice.
Root cavities form below the enamel line, on a surface that was never built to resist acid. Pooled adult prevalence across 74 surveys is 41.5%. Why they progress faster than crown decay, how they are found, and what the treatment trade-offs are.
A network meta-analysis of 82 trials ranked ibuprofen with acetaminophen among the most effective options for pain after extraction. What helps at home.
Pooled global prevalence of early childhood caries is 48 percent across 59,018 children, while resin sealants cut caries by 11 to 51 percent at 24 months. Eruption timing and behaviour management sit here too.
Whitening strips hold peroxide gel on enamel 20 to 30 minutes a day; they lift coffee, tea and tobacco stains but leave crowns and veneers unchanged.
A systematic review of eight clinical studies on interproximal enamel reduction found no demineralisation, no increase in caries and no periodontal change.
In a survey of 466 people about snap-on veneers, most reported discomfort and did not recommend them. A clip-on veneer is a removable shell worn over your own teeth, with no tooth reduction and no permanence.
In a twin study of 117 adult pairs, about 50% of the variance in adult periodontitis was genetic. No heritable component was found for gingivitis.
Open bite is a gap between the front teeth when you bite. In adults, clear aligners closed it by a mean 2.76 mm in a review of 12 studies.
No. Both are mineralised with hydroxyapatite, which is why they look alike: dentine is roughly 70% hydroxyapatite, 20% organic material and 10% water. The decisive difference is repair, because bone remodels through living cells throughout life and enamel has none at all.
