Are you attending regular dental examinations to inspect the health of your teeth and help prevent disease? When left untreated, tooth decay can cause serious damage to the enamel by forming cavities that continue to grow in size. This can eventually lead to total loss of your tooth or cause a painful infection of the pulp inside when not addressed earlier. You can help prevent decay from taking hold by practicing daily brushing and flossing, but you must seek treatment when irreversible harm is present. Whether you have a cavity that requires repairing with a dental filling, or need a more involved procedure, we will treat the symptoms of decay to help preserve your health. At your Ankeny, IA dentist’s office, we can remove decayed tissue, place a proper restoration, and provide guidance on preventing future decay. We take into account your esthetic desires as well when treating your dental injury to provide eye pleasing results.
How Permanent Restorations Treat Tooth Decay
When a cavity forms as a result of tooth decay, the tooth is further damaged as the cavity grows in size. Decay is the result of acidification that wears away at the enamel that protects your teeth. Eventually, this damage can become so great that you may lose the entire tooth or experience other complications with infection. To prevent the spread of the cavity, the dentist must remove decayed tissues which irreversibly alters the structure of your natural tooth. This means that you require the placement of a permanent restoration, such as a dental filling, to support the structure of your tooth and return its beautiful appearance.
Placing A Dental Filling
For appropriately sized cavities, we will protect your tooth with the placement of a dental filling. Modern materials allow us to match the shade of the treatment substance to your tooth to preserve your smile’s natural appearance. Because the filling is able to harden quickly upon application, you will soon be protected against outside bacteria threatening the vulnerable opening in your tooth.
Dental Crowns Treat Significant Decay
When the damage from tooth decay grows significantly in scope, a dental crown can provide support beyond that of a lifelike filling. By placing a cap completely over the top of your tooth, a crown returns the shape of your natural structure and can sustain the pressure of your bite.
Speak With Your Ankeny, IA Dentist About Treating And Preventing Tooth Decay
The best treatment for tooth decay is preventing it in the first place, so make sure to attend all of your routine cleanings and examinations. If we do detect cavities early, we can often treat them with dental fillings before they become worse. If you would like to find out more about this service or have questions about other oral health issues, please call your Ankeny, IA dentist’s office at (515) 965-0230 to schedule a visit.
