If you keep up with good daily brushing and flossing habits, and you also take care of your smile by making smart diet choices, you are less likely to have a cavity discovered during your next routine dental exam. While people often express confidence in their preventive efforts, they can be surprised to hear that decay has become an issue, one that will require restorative dental work. At our Irving, TX dentist’s office, we are prepared to respond to your cavity by protecting your tooth and preserving its appearance. We use materials that can match your healthy tooth structure, and we can take care to minimize changes to your enamel when caring for your smile.
Cavity Treatment Is Not Something You Should Delay!
If you are aware that you have a problem with tooth decay, you should not put off treatment for the problem. If you do, it can worsen, and that can change what kind of treatment you require. Cavities start small. There can be a period of time where one becomes a problem but does not cause obvious discomfort. At a dental exam, a smaller cavity can be caught, and the problem can be addressed before it grows more serious. However, if you are not in the habit of scheduling these appointments, you may only realize that something is wrong when decay is significant enough to require a partial or full dental crown.
Treatment With A Tooth Filling
Tooth fillings are a conservative treatment option, one that only covers the space where a cavity formed. Your dentist will first remove the infected tissues from your tooth and stop bacteria from spreading and doing more harm to your enamel. The area where your cavity formed will need to be treated to keep you safe from damage or another infection. The filling is directly applied to the site of decay. When placed, it will cover it to keep you safe from an infection, and to preserve your bite function. Our fillings are made from material that can mimic healthy enamel, which means your treatment will not change your smile!
Caring For A Severe Cavity
Larger cavities require more support than fillings are capable of providing. When you undergo treatment, your dentist will evaluate the tooth to see whether you need a full crown, or a partial one. Inlays and onlays cover more space than a filling, but they do not cover the entirety of your tooth the way a crown does. Having the appropriate restorations is important, because it ensures you will still be able to comfortably bite and chew, and that you will not develop an infection at a later date in the site of your cavity.
Talk To Your Irving, TX Dentist’s Office About Scheduling Cavity Treatment
Defining Smiles is ready to help patients who are dealing with cavities! To find out how we can take care of you, please call our dentist’s office in Irving, TX today at 972-717-0860.
