Have you started experiencing pain when you bite into your favorite foods? Is that sip of ice cold milk now met with a wince? If so, the bad news is that you might have a cavity. Grey or black lines along your teeth, white spots, sensitivity or discomfort isolated to a single tooth, can all be warning signs that you could have a cavity. The good news is that modern dentistry means you don’t have to choose between the discomfort of a cavity or an unsightly metal filling. Tooth-colored fillings are an excellent way to restore your smile after a cavity, both cosmetically and functionally.
How to Prevent or Cope With a Cavity
Daily dental hygiene, including both tooth brushing and flossing, at home and regular professional cleanings are the best steps to preventing a cavity. But if you already have a cavity, the dentist will likely recommend a filling, a minimally evasive procedure. After carefully cleaning and preparing the cavity-ridden tooth, the dentist can then fill the hole created by decay, often using a composite resin material that bonds very well with the teeth.
If the cavity was particularly deep or damaging, you may also require a crown to complete your smile. Fragile teeth are prone to breaking and infection, which is why crowns can be useful in protecting them from further damage. In severe cases, when a cavity has caused an infection, you may also need a root canal in order to save the tooth, but most often cavities can be treated with simple fillings.
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