CAMBRA Monarch Beach – What is CAMBRA?

Perhaps you are dealing with this scenario–you brush your teeth after every meal, floss at least once a day, and you are still experiencing cavities and tooth decay. Even after following all the “rules,” you still manage to suffer from cavities in your teeth. What’s going on? How do you figure out the cause for this excessive decay? One way you can learn about your risk for cavities is by having your dentist perform a CAMBRA examination.

CAMBRA stands for “Caries Management by Risk Assessment.” This acronym represents a medical approach to the disease of dental caries. A tooth (locally) can have decay, but the patient globally has an infectious condition called caries.

CAMBRA is an evidence-based methodology where the clinician assesses risk factors for each individual patient followed by diagnosis and prognosis of caries disease. Based on the evidence presented, the dentist then corrects the problems by managing the risk factors using specific treatment recommendations including behavioral, chemical, and minimally invasive procedures.

Using CAMBRA methodology, the dentist identifies the cause of disease by assessing each patient’s risk factors. Then, the dentist corrects the underlying problem by managing the risk factors and using specific treatment recommendations. Although CAMBRA, by definition, at this time does not render a diagnosis but rather offers a prognosis based on risk.

Prevention has always been a fundamental principle in our patient care. It has evolved into a more sophisticated approach based on a better understanding of the disease. Also, by utilizing CAMBRA evaluations in our office, we are fostering better long-term outcomes of our restorative treatment with this approach. It fosters goodwill with our patients and currently is considered the standard of care. Call Dr. Cruz and his office today to schedule an appointment for a CAMBRA examination to determine the cause of your reoccurring dental caries.