Air Abrasion

J. D. Murray D.D.S. & Associates, P.C.
967 Cleveland Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30344
404-762-5770

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Air Abrasion

As of 1999, there were 164,664 professionally active dentists (dentists using their dental degree in some fashion), and 152,151 active private practitioners in the U.S. For more information, see the Distribution of Dentists in the U.S. by region and state.

Many people associate the high-pitched whirring of a dental drill with pain. Just the sound alone can make many people wince.

A relatively new technique called air abrasion uses powerful particles of aluminum oxide to remove debris and decay. The most exciting thing for patients is that air abrasion is painless and, in some cases, doesn't require an anesthetic.

Air abrasion leaves behind a gritty feeling in your mouth, which is simply rinsed away almost instantaneously using a small suction device.

Tiny cracks and imperfections on a tooth can be fixed using air abrasion. Although air abrasion is not suitable for work on crowns and bridges, it is often used for bonding procedures, and on tooth restorations involving composite, or tooth-colored fillings.