Abbott Family Dentistry, LLC

Cavities are what most people think of when they go to the dentist.  They are thought of as a hole in the tooth.  The truth is that cavities are caused by a bacterial infection of the teeth caused by the disease caries.  Caries is a contagious disease that is transmitting via the saliva.  In fact, most people are first exposed to the bacteria that cause caries/cavities from the mother or primary caregiver.  Don't worry moms (or other primary care givers), it is not your fault, who knew!  Now that you know remember to get all your cavities fixed before having another child.  Think of all those cavities as little bacteria factories.  The more cavities, the more bacteria you have, and the more likely you will infect your child with those nasty little bugs.  Remember, it is only a cavity if there is a hole in the tooth.  It is a caries lesion if there is not yet a hole.  Our goal is to find the caries lesion before it becomes a cavity because the damage to the tooth will be less if we can treat the caries before a hole forms.  One more thing, caries/cavities usually don't hurt.  If you wait until there is pain for treatment, the filling will be much larger, the need for a root canal and/or crown will be more likely, and you may even end up losing the tooth.​  

To make sure all the caries is removed, Dr. Pierson uses Surgical Telescopes, Headlamp, Cavity Detection dye, and the LIFE caries detecting camera.