Diseases of the gums and periodontal apparatus (periodontitis)

From a dental point of view, caries is the number one common disease, along with periodontitis, which is usually also incorrectly referred to as periodontosis. In the past, the primary focus was on the filling closure of carious tooth defects, which already had to be of a certain size. Today, the main objective is to avoid the formation of such cavities (“holes”) by taking good precautions.

That is why good caries diagnostics no longer focuses on simply diagnosing a hole in the tooth. Rather, it aims to detect the various preliminary stages of a carious defect and to do something about the progression of the process already at this stage. The examination-typical tactile probe is playing an increasingly subordinate role, as already demineralized tooth enamel can be damaged or detached. Modern aids for caries diagnostics are completely painless and, in addition to conventional small X-rays, rely primarily on optical systems such as cold light or LED lamps and laser fluorescence. However, the use of magnifying glasses or an operating microscope or staining with special caries indicators is often sufficient. Depending on the stage of development, targeted action can then be taken to stabilize or remineralize the defect or, if necessary, to close it microinvasively.