What is no-drills or micro air abrasion filling?
We became interested in Micro-air abrasion dentistry in 1997. The technique is if the filling was on the chewing surface of the tooth or the cavity on the side of the tooth and if it is only a moderate-sized cavity, you use a gentle stream of compressed air mixed with very small particles of sand which the FDA classifies as nuisance dust that means we can breathe them without any harm can clean the cavity.
How is it done?
We have scanners that can tell us how big the cavity is on the surface or in size, we can literally blow the cavity material out with this little stream of air and sand it might take about 15 minutes per tooth. Then we put a filling in there without anesthesia.
Is it comfortable?
Most patients are quite comfortable they will not feel a thing. If they will feel anything at all it will be a small or moderate degree of cold.
Maybe 3% of the people get to the point where they need local anesthesia if so, we can certainly do that.
For somebody who has phobias, we can still do nitrous oxide which makes them even more comfortable.
Will this work for people with dental anxiety?
For people those who are really phobic, this is a good way to ease them into the realm of dental fillings, and obviously, it is good for kids.
Less stress for the patient, doctor, staff and it is a win, win-win.