Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Dentistry without drills or needles?

Yes, says Fayetteville practitioner

Is it possible to go to the dentist and never feel the drill or the pinch of that dreaded needle?

According to Fayetteville dentist Dr. Tom Williams, it most definitely is possible at least, in his practice.

It is called air abrasion and it is intended to replace the dentist drill and the need for anesthesia in many dental procedures.

"It's a new technology and there are very few dentists in this country who know much about it, let alone use it on a daily basis," said Dr. Williams. "Air abrasion is a bit like microscopic sand blasting. You use a concentrated stream of air combined with a super-fine powder to remove tooth decay without having to use a drill."

And because there's no drill, there's usually no need for anesthetic, which means no more needles.

"Even though we pride ourselves on delivering completely comfortable dentistry, some people are nervous about the drill and the needle," said Dr. Williams. "For these people, air abrasion is nothing short of a miracle."

Another benefit to the air abrasion system is that much more of the tooth structure can be preserved. "With drilling you have to remove some healthy tooth structure along with the decayed portions," said Dr. Williams. "It's simply unavoidable. But air abrasion allows you to be much more precise and therefore you can save more of the healthy part of the tooth."

What about people who aren't nervous about drills and needles can they benefit from this new technology?

"Oh yes, this isn't just for cowards," Dr. Williams points out. "We can use it with everyone.

"But," he adds with a chuckle, "if there's anyone who actually prefers the drill and needle, we still have them."

Dr. Williams' office, Jeff Davis Dental, is at 265-A N. Jeff Davis Drive in Fayetteville. Call 678-817-5900 or visit www.jeffdavisdental.com.

Born in Wilmington, Del., he was raised and attended school in Georgia, graduating with honors from Georgia State University with a bachelor's degree in physics. He was elected to Sigma Pi Sigma National Physics Scholastic Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Scholastic Honor Society, and Blue Key National Honor Fraternity.

He attended Vanderbilt University and earned a master's degree in environmental engineering. While at Vanderbilt, he was elected to Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society.

He completed dental school at the Medical College of Georgia, where he graduated in the top 10 percent of his class. He recently completed a certificate program in computer information systems at Mercer University.

Dr. Williams has an extensive background in dentistry, having been a faculty member at the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry and director of a children's public health dental program in western Canada. He has also worked as a dental director for the state of Georgia and has experience in private practice.

To stay current on the latest techniques, he has attended hundreds of hours of dental continuing education courses. He enjoys all areas of dentistry, but particularly cosmetic dentistry.

Dr. Williams holds memberships in many professional organizations, including the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He has been awarded the Certificate of Merit from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

He has been married for 25 years to his wife Diane, and they have three children: Chuck, Keli and Brett. He has been a resident of Fayetteville for 15 years.

Dr. Williams' leisure activities include golf, skeet shooting and scuba diving, and he is an American Red Cross volunteer.