Cavities are a widespread oral health issue, one that can impact smiles of all ages and lead to serious discomfort. Treatment is crucial for ensuring your cavity doesn’t become an infection. In today’s blog, your Brighton, MA, dentist talks about treating cavities with dental fillings.
The Causes and Warning Signs of a Cavity
What causes a tooth to develop a cavity? The outside of your teeth is coated in enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The enamel protects the tooth, but if this layer is compromised, this could expose sensitive inner structure to harmful bacteria, allowing a cavity to form. The enamel could be damaged from an injury or teeth grinding. In other cases, poor oral hygiene habits allow plaque buildup to form that weakens and erodes the outer enamel.
If you attend checkup and cleaning visits with our team, then we will likely be able to catch the decay in the early stages, often before you experience discomfort. Otherwise, you may not know you need care until the tooth begins to hurt, at which point the decay is likely in the advanced stages and you risk the onset of an infection!
Placing a Dental Filling
If our team examines your smile and discovers a cavity, then we can offer relief in one visit with a dental filling. To begin, our team will numb the tooth so you are comfortable while you we remove the decay and possibly etch the outer surface. Next, we prepare and place the filling material. Instead of metal, our team will use a metal-free composite resin, which can be shaded to blend with your smile and offer a more lifelike appearance. This is also safe for patients of all ages. Once the material is in place, we will reshape and sculpt the tooth while the composite resin cures under a light. Finally, we polish the tooth for a brighter appearance.
Preventive Options
To help avoid cavities and the need for a filling, you should make time to brush your teeth for two minutes in the morning and at night, each time using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste. Try to cut back on the sugar and starch in your diet too, and be sure you see our team for a checkup and cleaning visit every six months. If you have any questions about how our team will diagnose and treat tooth decay with a lifelike filling, then contact our team today.
Talk to Brighton Family Dental About Restoring Smiles
Our team wants to offer a dental restoration to treat tooth decay and offer optimal oral health again. Learn more about treating cavity in one visit by calling us at Brighton Family Dental Group in Brighton, MA, today at (617) 562-5210.
