Lubbock KIDS Dental
806.749.5437 find us on Facebook
  • Services
    • About Kids Teeth
    • First Dental Home
    • Insurance and Payment
    • Forms
    • Broken and Missed Appointment Policy
  • Directions
  • Blog
  • Referring Doctors

Why don't you use an explorer to check for cavities?

10/22/2013

 
Picture
Traditionally a dental checkup only meant to check for cavities. "How many holes did you find?" It included poking and stabbing on the teeth with a sharp pointed instrument, the dental explorer or dental probe.
Today we are doing a lot more than just looking for holes, but we still diagnose caries lesions. 
You may notice that I hardly use a dental explorer anymore. I rely mostly on a visual examination of the teeth. I dry teeth off and use magnification loupes to evaluate the tooth surface. 
If I use an explorer it is to remove soft plaque or stain of the teeth and to feel for roughness of the surface. Stickieness on the chewing surface of teeth is a poor diagnostic criterium and it may not mean that there is a cavity. It could just be a deep groove in the tooth.
Caries diagnosis is getting more advanced. Research shows us that an explorer can actually harm the teeth. If it is not used correctly, you can create lesions on teeth and spread bacteria from tooth to tooth. A visual exam supplemented with x-rays is my method of choice based upon the body of research. Once in a while you may hear me ask for an explorer to evaluate a specific lesion, but it will not be to poke around on all teeth. Those days should be long over.....

Dr. Dietmar Kennel 
Pediatric Dentist
Lubbock KIDS Dental


Comments are closed.

    Archives

    February 2015
    November 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Copyright © Dietmar Kennel DDS 2012. All Rights Reserved.