When a cavity forms in a tooth, this can lead to discomfort and without care, an infection. To provide treatment, our team can craft and place a custom and natural looking dental filling. In today’s blog, your Astoria, NY, dentist talks about how we treat cavities and offer a stunning smile afterward.
The Dangers of Untreated Cavities
A cavity forms in the dentin, the sensitive structure that makes up most of your tooth structure. This is often due to poor oral hygiene and a diet high in sugar and starch, which creates plaque buildup to weaken and erode the enamel. An injury or teeth grinding could also compromise enamel and cause cavities to form. Without treatment, the decay will continue to grow and spread throughout the tooth. This means toothaches and sensitivity increase in severity as well. Eventually, a dental infection could develop and without immediate root canal treatment, could lead to the loss of your tooth!
Placing a Lifelike Dental Filling
When you attend six-month checkup and cleaning visits, our team will likely identify cavities in the earliest stages of demineralization, often before you experience discomfort. Otherwise, you may not know you need treatment until your tooth begins to hurt, at which point you should see us right away. Our team will examine the tooth to assess the severity of the cavity. In most cases, we treat the issue in one visit with a filling.
The process begins with our team numbing the tooth, and then gently removing the decay and cleaning the tooth. We next apply the composite resin filling material, which is metal-free and can be shaded to blend with your smile. The material is then cured under a special light as we sculpt and mold the tooth. We then polish the tooth for a brighter appearance.
Taking Steps to Avoid Tooth Decay
We could also help you take steps to protect your teeth from cavities! For example, you should see us every six months so we can remove all plaque and tartar, which is known as a dental cleaning. Our team can also discuss fluoride treatments to strengthen the outer enamel. At home, you should brush twice a day and use a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Each session should take two minutes. We also recommend flossing every evening too. Cutting back on how much sugar and starch you consume is very beneficial too.
If you have any questions about our lifelike restorative treatments, then contact our team today.
Your Astoria, NY, Dentist Can Treat Your Cavity
We would like to help address your cavity in one visit with a lifelike treatment. To learn more about our restorative treatment options, then schedule a consultation by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
