Treating tooth decay is one of the most frequent reasons for people to need restorative dental treatment. The concerning about this is that it means a majority of people will have to deal with it at some point in their lives, if they haven’t already. However, the good news is that it means more people are treating their tooth decay and cavities early, and saving more of their healthy tooth structure in the process. Today, we examine how modern tooth fillings make cavity treatment more efficient, and why the extent of your tooth decay matters when it comes to treating it.
Gauging the extent of your tooth decay
Tooth decay is the kind of oral health problem that grows worse over time, and its progression isn’t always obvious at first. Your cavity may seem minor for a long time as the erosion of your tooth structure continues, and by the time the more severe symptoms of it become noticeable, the problem can be much worse. Treating more extensive tooth decay requires more extensive treatment than a tooth filling, as the infection in your tooth compromised much more of the tooth’s structure. Therefore, it’s important to address a cavity early to improve your chances of successfully treating it with a conservative tooth filling.
Why fillings are the more common solution
One of the reasons why tooth fillings are the most popular solution for treating cavities is because of how frequently cavities occur. They form when healthy, natural tooth structure starts to decay, which is the result of oral bacteria overwhelming the tooth’s defensive layer of enamel. When the bacteria start to erode the tooth’s main structure, it creates a depression, or cavity, in the structure. This cavity will grow larger over time, and the point of filling it is to stop this from occurring in order to preserve what remains of your healthy tooth structure.
If your tooth has decay on the inside
When your dentist examines your tooth to determine the extent of your cavity, one of the most important things to check for is whether the decay has reached the tooth’s inner chamber, called the pulp. If it has, then cleaning and filling the cavity won’t be enough to stop the decay’s progression, To save your tooth, we may suggest root canal treatment to successfully remove all traces of the infection, including the infected nerves and tissues from within the tooth’s pulp and root canal.
Learn if a filling is enough for your tooth decay
Tooth fillings can address most cases of minor or mild tooth decay, but if it progresses much further, the decay may become too much for the filling to treat. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling the Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX, today at (936) 441-4600. We serve patients from Conroe and all neighboring communities.
Make Your Appointment
Read Our Reviews