Calcium is an element (a substance made from entirely one atom) and is considered an alkaline earth metal – one of 6 elements whose “oxides” produce “basic” solutions when dissolved in water.
Calcium is necessary for hard tissue formation, which includes enamel, dentin, bone, or cartilage. People with systemic illnesses involving incomplete calcification processes or low calcium values often have enamel and dentin defects and weak bones. Calcium releasing products help remineralize tooth dentin and have antimicrobial properties due to its alkalinity.
Calcium has a long history of use in dental materials. Calcium sulfate which is Plaster of Paris was used back in the 1700s as a temporary filling material. Back then, they didn’t know how it worked. However, now we understand that the calcium release and the alkalinity helped people back then get rid of toothaches from which they suffered. Unfortunately, it did not last very long, so its use was only as a temporary dental material.
One new exciting Calcium releasing dental material is TherCal LC. TheraCal LC is a light-cured resin-modified calcium silicate filled liner designed for use under at the base of dental fillings. TheraCal LC performs as a barrier and protectant of the tooth pulp (soft area in the center of a tooth containing vascular, nerve, and connective tissue).
TheraCal LC’s precise placement allows Dr. Hawryluk Jr. to use it in all tooth repairs. Its proprietary formulation allows for ease of placement due to its thixotropic properties (time-dependent shear thinning property). The proprietary hydrophilic (tending to mix in, dissolve in, and be wetted by water) resin formulation creates a stable and durable liner for the fillings Dr. Hawryluk places.
In Summary Unique Benefits of TheraCal LC are:
- Releases Calcium, which stimulates hydroxyapatite and new tooth tissue formation
- Alkaline pH promotes healing and tooth tissue formation
- Protects and insulates the dental pulp
- Moisture tolerant and radiopaque
When Dr. Hawryluk Jr. places this product in deep cavity preparations, he decreases the possibility of thermal sensitivity, prevents demineralization of tooth structure, and inhibits recurrent cavities from forming.
This material is bioactive because it can form appetite crystals (tooth building blocks) within 24 hours. It is also a biologic material in that it augments a function that the body usually does. With these new state of the art products, St. Lawrence Dentistry can improve the remineralization of tooth structure beyond the level we would often only get from the body’s saliva or the dentinal-pulpal fluid flow alone.
Calcium materials have become increasingly prevalent because modern dentistry is intently looking for ways to augment our bodies regenerative capacity. Advanced products are now available because researchers are analyzing dental outcomes form a physiologic and medical viewpoint. St. Lawrence Dentistry wants to restore and maintain your dental health and is going beyond placing basic filling materials. If you would like more information on this topic or are looking for a Mississauga Dentist, please call our office to make an appointment.
Reference: M. Cannon, Viva learning, 2020.
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