Tooth decay is a common oral health problem, one that impacts children and adults. In order to address the decay and improve the health of your smile, we may recommend a unique and long-lasting dental restoration. With a lifelike material, your El Paso, TX, dentist can treat cavities and return smiles to optimal health and beauty!
Facts About Dental Cavities
A cavity forms when bacteria gains access to your inner layers of dentin, which surrounds the pulp and is more sensitive and porous than enamel. Poor oral hygiene, which weakens enamel, or injury, which may crack or chip this layer, could enable bacteria to teach the dentin. Unless treated, the decay will continue to grow and spread throughout the tooth, eventually reaching the inner pulp and allowing an infection or abscess to form, causing serious problems for your overall oral health and in some cases, increasing the risk of a lost tooth.
The Dental Filling Placement
If you begin to experience sensitivity in your tooth, or if an ache develops that doesn’t subside after a cavity, then you should let us know. We will examine your smile and if we discover a cavity, we can likely treat the issue in one visit with a dental filling. Using composite resin, a metal-free blend of acrylic and quartz-like particles, we can shade the material to match the color of your tooth. We apply the material after we remove the decay and clean the tooth. As the composite resin cures under a light, we can sculpt and mold the tooth. We then polish the tooth, which ensures a more attractive appearance. The entire procedure takes one visit and halts decay, preventing infection from occurring and ensuring a more comfortable smile.
Better Oral Hygiene
Following treatment, you should consider making changes to your daily hygiene routine to help prevent further cavities. For example, cut back on sugary foods and drinks and make time to see us every six months for a checkup and cleaning. At home, you need to brush your teeth twice a day, using a toothpaste that contains fluoride and a toothbrush with soft bristles. Each session should take about two minutes. You also need to floss up and down the side of each tooth, dipping below the gum line briefly. These actions remove food particles and reduce the severity of plaque buildup. If you have any questions about treating cavities, then contact our team today.
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO ABOUT CUSTOM RESTORATIONS
At Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, our team is ready to combat cavities and improve your overall smile health and beauty. If you have questions about our preventive treatment options, you can reach our East El Paso dental practice on 10039 Dyer St., at 915-859-7000!