Fillings

Cavities Shouldn’t Be Ignored

Behind gum disease, tooth decay is the 2nd leading cause of tooth loss. However, when decay can be intercepted early on, allowing the diseased enamel to be removed from the tooth so that it can be repaired, the life of the tooth can be extended. Routine preventive checkups at our San Diego dentist office help us screen for early decay before it is large enough to cause you pain and discomfort.

How Cavities Develop

Decay most often occurs down in the grooves, pits, and fissures of the teeth, as well as between the teeth where brushing does not clean away the bacteria. As we eat, food is broken down into acidic byproducts that etch the surface of the tooth enamel. Infrequent oral hygiene, or too much acid exposure can cause a tooth to develop decay in these weakened areas. Cleaning between the teeth is critical, as is removing the plaque buildup regularly each day. Using a topical fluoride rinse or gel can help strengthen weaker areas of tooth enamel. Our San Diego cosmetic dental office can help you find ways to keep your teeth clean and disease free on a daily basis.

Why Tooth Decay is Serious

Once decay has developed inside of the tooth, it can easily spread deeper into the tooth or to adjacent teeth. The bacteria, which cause decay, can also be spread from parent to child through saliva. If left untreated, decay becomes severe enough to damage the nerve tissue inside of a tooth, causing the need for root canal therapy. Fillings are easy to perform while a cavity is small, but if too large, the weak enamel will require a full coverage crown in order to extend the life of the tooth.

Treating Tooth Decay with Dental Fillings in Our San Diego Cosmetic Dental Office

Unlike other areas of the body, teeth are unable to repair themselves. At our San Diego cosmetic dental office we aim to detect dental decay early on, allowing it to be corrected while in its early, less invasive stages. This keeps fillings smaller and less invasive. Dentist Dr. Nick Refahi offers different types of dental fillings to patients at our San Diego cosmetic dental office. Tooth colored resin fillings blend in naturally with the surrounding tooth structure, making them practically undetectable when you smile or talk with friends. Larger cavities sometimes require the use of silver fillings, depending on the size and location of the decay. It’s also important to treat tooth decay in children’s teeth, to prevent the disease from spreading and infecting developing permanent teeth.