One of the main benefits of visiting your dentist regularly is learning when you have tooth decay before it becomes out of hand. While semiannual cleanings and daily oral hygiene are critical in preventing plaque from harming your teeth, you can still receive a cavity from time to time when sticking to these practices. When your dentist finds a carry during your exam, we suggest placing a filling to restore your tooth after removing the decay.
At your Katy, TX dental practice, we encourage you to visit us at least twice per year. We can help you fight bacterial plaque with regular cleanings and detect cavities early with routine exams. By placing a restoration, we can return the outside seal of your compromised enamel to prevent future reinfection by oral bacteria.
When Decay Wears At The Surface Of Your Tooth
Tooth decay can strike at any age, as long as you have a tooth within your mouth. Starting in infancy, regular oral care helps you clean away the bacteria and food particles that combine to form plaque on the surface of your teeth. Without regular cleanings, this sticky film creates an acidic waste product that wears away at the protective layer of enamel on the outside of your tooth. Eventually, this damage creates permanent holes, or cavities, that expose the inner layers of dentin and your pulp’s chamber. Without prompt treatment, decay continues to destroy healthy tissue and can expose you to possible dental infections. This is why you should visit to inspect the health of your smile every six months.
Discovering Your Cavity
If you experience a sensitive toothache that will not go away, let us know right away. We can examine your smile to determine if decay is present. We will examine your teeth at each checkup, but feel free to come in outside of your routine appointments when pain is present.
Placing A Filling To Restore Your Tooth
To begin treating your cavity, we will apply a local anesthetic that numbs the affected area for your comfort. Using special tools, we clear all decaying material from the hole in your tooth. We then smooth its surface to receive your dental filling. Made from biocompatible, composite resin, we can shade your filling to match the exact color of your surrounding teeth. This helps restore the visual appeal of your grin while strengthening your tooth. By placing a filling, we restore the outside seal that prevents bacteria from entering and continuing to damage your tooth once again.
Talk To Your Katy, TX, Dentist About Removing Your Cavity
While it is no fun to learn that you have a cavity, addressing it right away can preserve your healthy smile. By attending your checkups semiannually, we can detect decay more early than if you wait for painful symptoms to appear. To learn more about treating your tooth decay, please call Lathrop Dental Center in Katy, TX at (832) 437-3849 and schedule a visit.
