New Pain-free Ozone Unit to Fill in for Drill When Fixing Cavities
Front Page of Vancouver Province and Vancouver Sun, March 18, 2004
CALGARY -- Revolutionary technology is eliminating the need to have your
teeth drilled when you get cavities.
The HealOzone unit uses ozone gas to remove the bacteria that causes decay
and allows the treated tooth to heal itself.
"Tooth decay is the No. 1 disease on the planet," said Calgary dentist Dr.
Stuart Gough, who has the first HealOzone unit in Canada and the second in
North America.
"This is really good for people who have cavities on the root surfaces and
for younger children as long as they are primary cavities and don't have a
filling on the tooth."
He said the treatment is good for people aged five to 95. The ozone destroys
any bacteria, virus or fungi that come into contact with it.
The bacteria inside teeth is destroyed without damaging the tooth, and the
sterilized tooth re-mineralizes, repairing itself.
The HealOzone unit eliminates the need for drilling and filling.
The unit costs between $30,000 and $40,000 and has been used in the U.K. for
the past four years, said Gough.
"I saw a presentation at a research meeting a number of years ago related to
this particular technique and it sounded promising," said University of B.C.
faculty of dentistry associate professor Lex MacNeil. "I'm surprised that
there's a unit available commercially, but things move pretty quickly these
days."
MacNeil said he wasn't aware of any B.C. dentists using the technique, but
pointed out dental technology is rapidly evolving, with new cosmetic and
pain-free procedures being introduced yearly.
"We've been accustomed to a rotary instrument, i.e. the drill, removing
tooth decay for probably a hundred years or more, but that's not to say that
it can't be done and in the future we're not going to have such a barbaric
way of removing cavities from teeth. This could be a possibility."
Gough said costs for the treatment are about $40 per tooth, compared to a
traditional filling, which is between $100 to $150. Patients using the ozone
therapy also have to buy a kit for about $41, which includes a one-month's
supply of special toothpaste and mouth rinse.
"By using the toothpaste and mouth rinse, the teeth become
harder than before," said Gough. "Studies have shown that the enamel
actually gets harder."
Gough said studies have also shown that within 30 seconds, ozone kills 99.9
per cent of the bacteria in a tooth.
Kimberly Fibke of the Alberta Dental Association said part of the reason for
new technologies such as the ozone therapy is to alleviate patient fears and
pain.
"There is always new technology coming in to help patients' comfort or for
better treatment that works faster," said Fibke.
The HealOzone unit is designed so no ozone is released until a seal is made
against the tooth being treated. Once the tooth has an airtight seal, the
gas is applied for between 10 and 40 seconds depending on the severity of
the decay.
Gough said hardening of the enamel takes place within four to 12 weeks.
The Calgary Herald