Cavities

What is a cavity?

A cavity is a permanently damaged area in the hard surface of your teeth that develops into tiny openings or holes.

A cavity might present symptoms such as:

• Toothache
• Visible holes or pits in your teeth
• Tooth sensitivity
• Pain while drinking or eating something cold, hot, or sweet
• Staining on the surface of your teeth
• Pain when you’re biting down 

In the early stages, you might not have any symptoms.

What causes a cavity?

Over time, dental plaque accumulates on your tooth and causes tooth decay.

The plaque contains acids that remove some of the minerals in your tooth’s protective, hard outer enamel. The bacteria can get to the deeper layer of your teeth and even the inner pulp, which contains the nerves and blood vessels.

Factors that can increase your risk of getting a cavity include:

• Excessive sugary foods
• Dry mouth
• Worn dental fillings or devices
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Poor dental hygiene
• Bulimia

Cavities can lead to complications, such as a tooth abscess.

How is a cavity treated?

Your dentist might suggest various treatments for your cavity.

Filling

A filling is a restoration to fill the pit or hole using several materials, such as tooth-colored composite resin or porcelain.

Crown

With a dental crown, your dentist drills away at the decayed area and places a custom-fitted cover or cap called a crown. Crowns are usually made from porcelain, gold, or other materials.

Fluoride

Fluoride treatments can help to restore your tooth enamel.

Root canal

You might need a root canal procedure to remove infected pulp and nerve and clean and seal on the inside of your tooth.

Tooth extraction

A severely decayed tooth might need to be pulled in a tooth extraction procedure. You can choose an effective dental prosthesis to replace your missing tooth.

Inlays and onlays

Unlike dental crowns that offer full coverage restoration for your tooth, inlays and onlays are a type of partial coverage restoration or filling. An inlay fits inside your tooth in the grooves within the cusps of your tooth. An onlay also fits inside your tooth, but it’s larger and wraps over your tooth to cover more of your tooth’s chewing surface.

Inlays and onlays are bonded to your tooth and can usually be made of tooth-colored ceramic, porcelain, special dental composite, or gold.

Diminish the threat of cavities with dental care for children, teens, and adults. Call or book online.