Dentistry  is  India  is  mostly  need-based  , and somewhere  over time  we  dentists  are  also only  looking  for  frank  cavities  and  symptomatic teeth. But  what  about  the  initial  stages ,where  cavitation  has still not taken place.

We  are  talking about  WHITE SPOTS  , FISSURAL  STAINS,INITAL  STAGES  OF ENAMEL WEAR (WEAR  FACETS)

• The  WHITE  SPOT  lesion  is  not a distinct  form of  caries  but a stage of the carious process:all the  more reason  for  a dentist  to pay attention.
• It  is treatable  BY  NON-INVASIVE  MEANS,and can be maintained in an inactive form, using  products that  initiate Remineralization :i.e. dental creams containing  Tricalcium phosphate  which forms a FLUORAPATIATE like coating on the tooth
• CAVITATION  is  the terminal  , non-reversible end  of the disease process;and  can  only  be  treated  by  Restorative means.
• Deep  fissures  in the molars  , premolars  and  the cingulum  if ignored will also inevitably  lead to a carious lesion; hence  should  be taken  care  of  by  fissure  sealants.
• WEAR  FACETS  if  left  unattended  would again  progress to  bigger  lesions: so  need to be taken care of  immediately.

Now  when  we look  at  a patient, if  we keep  all  these  things  in  mind, not  only  we are  looking  at  a new  dimension  in planning  the  treatment  but  we  are  also  justifying PREVENTION, NOT JUST CURE.

As  dental  professionals, our aim  should  be  a  disease (caries) free  mouth  in  every  patient  whom  we  come  across.