But now there is a new cavity treatment called silver diamine fluoride (SDF). SDF is an FDA-approved liquid used to treat cavities without an injection or drilling. This new treatment can be great for young children, special needs/medically compromised patients, or anyone fearful of dental treatment.
Resin infiltration allows the dentist to slide a plastic perforated sheet between the teeth with the cavities. There is no drilling necessary, and the procedure is typically completed without any anesthesia.
Tooth Drilling Procedure
If you are scheduled for a cavity filling, your dental professional will need to remove the tooth's damaged area before starting the procedure. Generally, they would use a drill, which may be painful for some people.
No Needles, No Drill, and No Pain
The Solea laser offers dentists an alternative way to remove decayed tissue. It does so with such precision and comfort that in more than 99 percent of cases, no anesthesia is necessary.
Because filling a cavity requires drilling the decayed tooth, people are often curious about what other ways a cavity can be treated. Traditionally, a cavity was treated by filling the tooth with a medically safe material to stop the decay from furthering.
When dentists drill into teeth, they are shaping an opening. This is to ensure all of the rot in the dentin is removed entirely. Another reason for drilling is to create a shape for the filling to bond and fill the cavity completely. Fillings can be either a silver/mercury amalgam or they can be plastic.
An irritated nerve can cause inflammation to the tooth's nerve. A large cavity with a deep filling can get close to the tooth's nerve, causing some discomfort. The nerve will heal within a few days, and the discomfort will dissipate.
Some people elect to not have numbing gels or anaesthetics when having a cavity filled, but does I hurt when you get a cavity filled without numbing? Well, the answer should be no. When having a filling, your dentist won't reach the dental pulp inside the tooth where nerve endings are, so no pain should be experienced.
On average, as a broad timeline, it can take anywhere from six months to four or five years before a cavity needs treatment. The conditions of your mouth change daily. Conclusion: a cavity can start to form, then not have the right conditions to develop.
Deep filling – If the hole is deep and close to the pulp, the dentist has to place a filling which will be very close to the pulp. If the filling is too close to the nerve, it may get infected slowly. Dentists can't predict the time frame for the tooth to become infected.
So if you have a cavity that needs a filling, don't delay treatment. The decay can continue to develop and cause additional damage to a tooth. You can end up needing something much more extensive, not to mention expensive, such as a root canal if you wait too long to have the decay addressed.
Do cavity fillings hurt? Here's the short answer: No. Most fillings cause little to no discomfort during any part of the procedure. This is a result of using highly effective numbing agents.
What Does a Cavity Look Like? While it is usually difficult to see a cavity in its beginning stages, some cavities start with a whitish or chalky appearance on the enamel of your tooth. More serious cases can have a discolored brown or black color. However, most often there are no distinguishable red alerts.
For all the good brushing does, it will not eliminate the cavity. The bottom line is you do not have the power to stop your cavity from growing. Your cavity will gradually expand to the point that it moves into the pulp chamber and spurs pain. If the cavity reaches the pulp of the tooth, it will require a root canal.
It can take as long as five years from the time a cavity begins to develop to when the tooth needs treatment to prevent the cavity from spreading further.
If your cavity hurts, it's not too late to save your tooth. When cavities are small, they tend not to hurt too much, but they'll start to cause pain as they grow. That's usually when you notice them.
Dentists recommend patients who have had tooth filling to wait at least 2 hours before they resume eating anything. Even then, you should avoid very hard or sticky foods. Chewing a pizza requires greater effort by your teeth, especially when you're eating chicken or beef pizza.
Sometimes patients do not require injections for fillings. It depends on how large and how deep the cavity(decay) is and where is sits in relation to the nerve. I like to think of a tooth like an M&M peanut. The outer candy shell is the enamel, which has no nerve endings.
On average, the cost for a dental filling without insurance could run from $200 to $600. This is just an average estimate, and the price could be as low as $100 or as high as $4,000.
Getting holes filled might require ten minutes to 1 hour per tooth, depending on the size of the cavity and its location.
It's relatively common for you to have some pain or sensitivity in the treated tooth after a filling. After all, a dentist was just poking around and drilling in the tooth. Usually, any discomfort should fade after a day or two.
A tooth should not hurt, ache, or cause you discomfort from a new filling for an extended period of time. Any sensitivity from a tooth filling should be expected to go away quickly, at least within two to four weeks.
Not cleaning your teeth well, frequent snacking and sipping sugary drinks are the main culprits behind cavities. Cavities are permanently damaged areas in the hard surface of your teeth that develop into tiny openings or holes.
Once bacteria and decay get through enamel, enough damage has already been done. A cavity is not going to stop once it's started. It will require a filling or some other form of treatment. Our Hudsonville dentists urge you to see us ASAP if you are experiencing any symptoms of a cavity.