Treatment for Cavities: Enhancing Your Dental Health
Regular cleanings and routine dental checkups can go a long way toward the prevention of cavities. Yet even if you brush and floss regularly and visit your dentist twice a year, there is still a risk of a cavity developing. Thankfully the team at River City Dental Solutions PLLC offers a whole array of treatments for tooth decay.
We at our San Antonio, TX dental practice would like to take a few moments to consider the use of dental fillings and other kinds of restorations to treat cavities. This should help you understand various approaches to addressing this common dental health problem.
Dental Sealants for Cavity Prevention
Prevention is always an ideal approach to addressing tooth decay. Regular dental visits help, but some patients take it a step further by getting dental sealants placed. A dental sealant is a thin layer of plastic coating applied to the biting surfaces of the teeth. This helps prevent direct contact between cavity-causing agents and your tooth structure.
Dental Fillings
If a minor cavity develops, fillings are the best option to consider initially. Fillings come in both metal and tooth-colored forms. When placed, dental fillings help rebuild the compromised tooth structure and strengthen the remaining tooth structure.
Inlays and Onlays
Sometimes a traditional filling is not enough to address a person’s tooth decay. In these cases, the best option is the use of an inlay or onlay. These restorations are essentially like larger versions of traditional fillings, and they can be used to rebuild the entire biting surface of a tooth if necessary. Like normal fillings, they also come in metal or tooth-colored form.
Dental Crowns
For major tooth decay, a dental crown is the most ideal treatment option. Dental crowns are caps that fit over a tooth that has been severely decayed. When the crown is in place, it protects a tooth from further harm and restores a person’s ability to bite and chew as they normally would. Both metal and porcelain crowns can be used.
Root Canal Therapy
If a tooth becomes infected because of major tooth decay, the best option for treatment is root canal therapy. The procedure will involve the removal of the diseased dental pulp and the sterilization of the interior pulp chamber of the tooth. A crown is then used to cap the tooth and protect it from further harm.
What If My Tooth Is Too Decayed?
Sometimes a tooth may be too decayed to be saved. In these cases, the best option for treatment is tooth extraction. This prevents the risk of a major dental infection and the formation of an oral abscess.
Once the tooth is removed, you and your dentist can discuss various options for filling the gap left behind. This might involve a dental bridge, or perhaps a crown anchored in place with a dental implant. Each option has advantages and disadvantages to consider.
Contact Our Dental Care Practice
To learn more about cavity treatment, cavity prevention, and ways to enhance your dental health, be sure to contact an experienced cosmetic and restorative dentist. We at River City Dental Solutions PLLC look forward to your visit and discussing dental treatment matters with you in greater detail.
