Detecting & healing tooth decay

Tooth decay is a prevalent disease worldwide. According to the US Surgeon General Report, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases among 5 - 17 year olds, more common than asthma, hay fever or chronic bronchitis. It is responsible for large numbers of days off school and work. The traditional treatment for tooth decay is to wait until a large cavity develops, remove decay and then place a filling.

If tooth decay is detected early, before a substantial amount of the tooth is destroyed, the area can be remineralized by using fluorides and other remineralizing agents. The current diagnostic tools and techniques are not sensitive enough to detect these early areas of decay or to monitor their ongoing progression. The Canary System™ allows oral health providers to detect and monitor tooth decay on all surfaces of the tooth and then to use this information to design preventive based dental programs to heal or remineralize these areas without using invasive techniques. For patients it means safe, easy dental appointments.

For dentists it provides a new preventive program in their offices with a new revenue stream. For employers, early detection and prevention saves long term down-stream costs associated with large fillings, root canals, extractions etc. Let's take a look at how one can detect and heal tooth decay.