As we look at the history of the tooth in question here are some things that are warning signs that the tooth may not be savable: The tooth is very loose. The tooth is completely broken off below the gumline. There is a dental abscess in the area.
It can be difficult to determine if a tooth is savable or not. Therefore, it is important to see your dentist for a professional examination and x-rays. If you have any question about whether or not your tooth is viable, schedule an appointment sooner rather than later.
Your Teeth Can't Be Repaired
You may need a tooth extraction if your tooth is damaged beyond repair. This could happen when bacteria can get inside your tooth and affect the pulp. When the pulp of the tooth is damaged, it becomes very difficult to save. In some cases, a root canal may help.
If the decay reaches your tooth's main structure, called dentin, then a filling can replace the lost tooth structure after your dentist has cleaned the cavity of bacteria and infection. However, if it reaches the tooth's center chamber, called the pulp, a filling may no longer suffice to address it.
Another standard is the width of the filling. Some say that a filling shouldn't be any wider than ⅓ of the distance between the cusps (high points) of a tooth. Others allow for up to 50% of this distance.
What kind of cavity doesn't need to be filled? If you have a very small cavity limited to the enamel (or outer layer) of your tooth, you may not need to get a filling. This is especially true if you have had very few cavities in the past and practice good oral hygiene.
If the deepest layers of the pulp become infected, it may be too late to save the tooth. In addition, if a large portion of the tooth is lost and a crown cannot be placed on what's left, root canal treatment is no longer a viable solution.
If you have an injured, decayed, or loose tooth, your dentist will do everything possible to save your natural tooth. Unfortunately, it's not always possible, in which case, the tooth will need to be extracted.
Dentistry has advanced incredibly over recent years, which means that there is a treatment for every kind of oral health concern. Therefore, if you've bad teeth, there are effective restorative options available to repair them.
So why won't teeth heal themselves? When compared to bones – which have plenty of blood vessels running through them – tooth enamel doesn't have any way to get fresh oxygen and nutrients. This means that once it's damaged, your tooth can't repair itself like other parts of your body can.
Fillings. Fillings, also called restorations, are the main treatment option when decay has progressed beyond the earliest stage. Fillings are made of various materials, such as tooth-colored composite resins, porcelain or dental amalgam that is a combination of several materials.
Enamel can repair itself by using minerals from saliva, and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources. But if the tooth decay process continues, more minerals are lost. Over time, the enamel is weakened and destroyed, forming a cavity. A cavity is permanent damage that a dentist has to repair with a filling.
Maybe you think that the neglect is so far gone that no dentist could ever help you. This is not true. A dentist can restore your neglected teeth.
The only way to cure tooth decay is to drill out the cavity before it spreads. However, if the cavity is too big for a filling, our dentists will recommend a porcelain crown to strengthen the tooth.
Root canals are a way of getting rid of the infection in a tooth without getting rid of the actual tooth. A root canal won't save your tooth—by the time you need one, it's too late for that, but it will allow you to keep it. A dentist or endodontist will drill into the tooth to reach the infected pulp at its core.
Even so, we may still be able to save a tooth through a minor surgical procedure called an apicoectomy. Rather than access the diseased area through the tooth crown as with a root canal treatment, an apicoectomy makes access to the infected tissue at the root end.
A root canal treatment is a highly effective way to save a deeply decayed tooth. Sometimes, though, complications make it difficult or even impossible to perform the traditional procedure.
What Happens If I Don't Get A Filling For A Cavity? The cavity will get worse, and your tooth may eventually become infected and require treatment with root canal therapy and a dental crown. These treatments are more invasive, complex, and expensive, compared to a simple dental filling.
Cavity, or tooth decay: Perhaps the most common cause for a black spot on your molar teeth is tooth decay, or a cavity. A cavity forms when the build-up of plaque, which contains acids, is allowed to erode the surface enamel of a tooth. A hole in the tooth's protective layer sometimes shows as a black dot.
Dental fillings are used as a restorative measure in teeth that have been affected by decay or damage. It is a common procedure and most fillings are carried out without any issues, but sometimes dentists may perform the treatment poorly, which can lead to a number of problems as a result.
Treatments for tooth decay
A dentist can prescribe fluoride treatments like mouthwash or varnish to reverse early tooth decay. You'll probably need a filling if you have a hole (cavity) in your tooth. If tooth decay has reached the soft tissue (pulp) in the middle of your tooth, you may need root canal treatment.
A dead tooth occurs when those tissues are damaged and the blood supply to the tooth is lost. It may be painful or may cause no symptoms at all. A dead or dying tooth should be treated quickly because it can become infected and have negative effects on the jaw, gums and other teeth.
Change in daily routine: If you weren't getting cavities before and now you are, it's highly likely that something in your life has changed that's causing the sudden onset. Consider lifestyle factors like diet, stress, starting school or a new job, and new habits.
Dentists are usually able to repair a chipped or cracked tooth using treatments such as bonding or by placing a crown, but a more severely damaged tooth may need to be removed to avoid causing further problems.