Fillings are among the most common dental treatments, providing a straightforward and effective solution to cavities. However, no one particularly enjoys having a filling done. Nevertheless, putting off such an essential form of treatment can be a big mistake. If you don’t receive cavity fillings in Albion when you need them, you may find yourself facing much more serious oral health issues down the line.
How Cavities Impact Your Smile and Why You Need Fillings
Cavities are small holes that appear in your teeth as the result of tooth decay, a condition that stems from the presence of excess bacteria in your mouth. Bacteria are always present in your mouth, but they become a more serious problem if they get the chance to spread out of control. This is usually caused by poor or inconsistent oral hygiene. To ensure this does not happen, you must make sure to keep up with your oral routine (brushing and flossing twice daily) and schedule your routine cleanings with your dentist,
Bacteria cause cavities by secreting acid that weakens your teeth’s enamel. That weakened enamel wears away over time, eventually creating a small pit. The pit provides shelter for even more bacteria, allowing the cycle to repeat. Eventually, a visible and highly sensitive cavity forms.
Good oral hygiene practices and professional teeth cleaning during visits to your dentist help manage bacteria levels, preventing tooth decay and gum disease.
Of course, that’s not to say that cavities cannot be handled once they appear. Cavity fillings in Albion, NY, involve cleaning and sanitizing the cavity to remove bacteria and then sealing it with filling material. This process stops tooth decay in the area and robs the bacteria of their sheltered hiding spot.
Today, many different types of fillings accomplish the same general purpose. Traditional metal amalgam fillings, for instance, continue to be highly effective and reliable. Still, they have a visible metallic color and can cause issues for people with sensitivity to metal materials. Tooth-colored fillings present a more recent option that relies on composite resin to match the color of the tooth and blend in for a natural appearance.
What Advanced Tooth Decay Does to Your Teeth
When you refrain from getting cavity fillings in Albion, the already out-of-control bacteria in your mouth will continue to weaken your teeth’s enamel and expand the depth and width of your cavity. Eventually, the bacteria will reach the dentin, the softer layer underneath the enamel, causing profound sensitivity and potentially intense pain and leading to tooth decay.
Decay will spread rapidly through the dentin, exposing the pulp and nerve tissue in the interior of the tooth, at which point you’ll need a root canal treatment. The pulp and nerve tissue can become infected, so removing that tissue and filling the tooth entirely is the only option. If infection does take hold, you can develop an abscessed tooth that may require extraction.
Long-Term Oral Health Impacts of Untreated Cavities
What may have started as a small issue can lead to much larger consequences when you leave cavities untreated. For instance, untreated cavities can typically result in tooth extraction. Tooth loss is prevalent, with 40 million Americans missing all their teeth.[1] If you require a tooth extraction, you’ll need a dental bridge, dental implant, or other restorative dentistry to replace the tooth. Each treatment is much more intensive and expensive than a simple filling.
Furthermore, leaving the gap from the missing tooth will only lead to more serious oral health outcomes. For instance, the adjacent teeth will start to shift into the gap, causing them to become misaligned. That can, in turn, lead to wear to your other teeth, jaw pain, and other problems. You could find yourself needing orthodontic treatment to set your smile straight again.
Don’t hesitate to Get Cavity Fillings in Albion, NY
Putting off the need for dental fillings for too long will only lead to unnecessary pain and potential long-term oral health consequences. Instead, it’s always best to keep up with routine visits to Albion Family Dental so that we can help prevent tooth decay, spot cavities early, and provide effective dental services in Albion to protect your smile. Schedule an appointment today for reliable dental care. Call 585-589-9044.
Sources:
[1] https://www.prosthodontics.org/assets/1/7/ACP_Talking_points_for_Missing_Teeth_1-12-15.pdf