Cavities will develop in most of our smiles at some point in our lives. They develop when natural oral bacteria find a weak spot in our tooth enamel and then begin to eat away at the dental structure. When decay advances to create a hole in the surface of the tooth, dentists call the problem a cavity.
Your dentist can identify this early form of tooth decay during a routine dental check-up. But you must make sure you seek treatment for the cavity as soon as you can. Otherwise, the cavity will worsen and cause extensive damage to your smile.
Cavities will not go away on your own, so do not avoid this dental work. You can feel more encouraged to seek this dental care when you know how cavities will affect the look and health of your smile. Read on to learn more about how cavities can cause serious oral health problems without intervention from a dentist as well as what to expect from this treatment.
Dangers of Advanced Tooth Decay
A cavity forms when oral bacteria erode a hole in your tooth. As mentioned, this decay will worsen and spread deeper into your tooth without treatment from your dentist.
You can see visible changes in the tooth, including brown or black discoloration. You may also notice a hole and other wear in the tooth’s structure. The tooth cannot heal these damages itself, so you will need to talk to your dentist about the issue.
Many dental patients will experience tooth pain in the case of advanced tooth decay. They can feel tooth sensitivity, a constant toothache, or more intense, stabbing pain. All forms of oral pain are abnormal, so you should not ignore the symptom.
Advanced tooth decay will make your smile more vulnerable to further dental damage too. The weakened tooth could contract an infection that may reach the pulp of the tooth. This can require extensive treatment to repair, including root canal therapy, so you should treat the problem before it reaches this point.
An infected tooth can present with severe pain and inflammation that can affect the surrounding gum tissue. There is a high risk of the patient losing the tooth. Prevent this serious dental damage by treating cavities in a timely fashion.
How Dentists Treat a Cavity
The treatment for a cavity is a simple, straightforward procedure that can be completed in one dental appointment. Your dentist can provide you with a local anesthetic that will numb the affected area so that you will not feel any discomfort during this treatment.
The dentist will remove the decayed part of the tooth. Then they will fill the resulting hole with composite resin. The malleable material can be molded to fit your specific dental structure.
Then, the dentist will cure the resin to harden it and secure it in its place in your tooth. As it hardens, the dental filling creates a seal over this vulnerable part of the tooth so that bacteria cannot access the area anymore.
The dentist finishes the treatment with a polish for a beautiful finish. The tooth-colored resin will blend into your natural teeth for a look that is both resilient and stunning. Advanced tooth decay may require more extensive dental work, so do not wait to treat your cavity.