For most individuals, cavities will eventually play a role in their oral health. While keeping up with a preventive dentistry routine can help deter the forces of tooth decay, it’s not always possible to keep harmful bacteria from causing problems for your teeth. If a cavity forms on one of your teeth, you’ll want to address the problem as soon as possible — that means a dental restoration. Determining the right dental restoration for your case is a matter of the severity. Dental fillings can be used for simple cavity cases. Dental crowns are more extensive dental restorations.

What Determines the Severity of Your Cavity?

When a surface cavity forms, it’s the product of bacterial buildup. That bacteria produces acid as it grows on the surface of your tooth. Eventually, that acid corrodes your dental enamel and creates a hole — a cavity. The extent of that cavity is directly related to how long the bacteria has been growing unchecked. If you notice the problem quickly and visit your dentist, the cavity likely won’t be serious. If you allow the problem to continue to compound, the damage will spread throughout the tooth and create additional issues.

Dental Fillings Restore a Pocket of Decay in Your Tooth

Dental fillings can be thought of like a spot treatment for cavities. Fillings can be used to address small cavities in the surfaces of your teeth. When your dentist finds a cavity on your tooth, they will carefully remove the bacterial buildup causing the cavity, and then sanitize that part of your tooth to ensure no bacteria grow back. Then, your dentist will fill your cavity with a metal amalgam or tooth-colored resin. Once the filling sets, your tooth will be restored to its original functionality. This is a relatively simple restorative treatment, and it allows your teeth to recover from modest damage.

Dental Crowns Protect a Vulnerable Tooth

Dental crowns are a form of dental restoration used for more extensive damage. Again, if left unchecked, the bacteria creating your cavity will continue to grow and spread deeper into your teeth. Once the bacteria is past your enamel, it will start to infect your dentin and tooth pulp. These infections can compromise the integrity of your tooth and lead to the need for root canal therapy. Dental crowns are used to cover your vulnerable tooth after the bacteria has been removed from it. Your dental crown will preserve your tooth for the future, while maintaining its lifelike appearance.

Receive a Dental Restoration from The Dental Centre of Conroe

At the Dental Centre of Conroe, John M Richards DDS and his talented team of professionals deliver distinctive cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentistry for residents of Conroe, TX, as well as patients from Houston, The Woodlands, Willis, Montgomery, Magnolia, Huntsville, and the neighboring communities. For more information about our services, or to schedule an appointment, call our Conroe, TX, dental office today at (936) 441-4600.