Fillings are made of several materials, such as tooth-colored composite resins, porcelain, or dental amalgam, which is a combination of several materials. For extensive cavities or weakened teeth, you may need a crown, a custom cover that replaces the entire natural crown of the tooth. Yes, a deep cavity can be filled. The dentist will first remove the decay inside the cavity to prevent further damage to the tooth.
The dentist then places the filling on the decayed part to repair the damaged part of the tooth. The filling helps prevent the buildup of bacteria or plaque inside cavities and, therefore, helps prevent serious infections and further damage to the tooth. If detected early, pit and fissure cavities can be treated with sealants or some types of fluoride. However, once the cavity becomes deeper, the dentist will need to remove the cavities and repair the tooth with fillings or possibly with root canals and crowns.
The dentist will then examine or analyze the area to determine if all of the cavities have been removed. Once the decay has been removed, the dentist will prepare the space for filling by cleaning the cavity of bacteria and debris. If the tooth decay is close to the root, the dentist may first place a coating made of glass ionomer, composite resin, or other material to protect the nerve. Usually, after you place the filling, your dentist will finish it and polish it.
The only way to cure tooth decay is to drill the cavity before it spreads. However, if the cavity is too large for a filling, our dentists will recommend a porcelain crown to strengthen the tooth. The location and extent of the cavity, the cost of filling material, your insurance coverage, and the recommendation of your dentist help determine the type of filling that is best for you. If tooth decay reaches the main structure of the tooth, called dentin, a filling can replace the lost tooth structure after the dentist has cleared the cavity of bacteria and infections.
In such severe cases, the dentist may recommend root canal therapy to eliminate the deep infection and restore the health, strength, and integrity of the tooth. If the tooth structure is damaged, the dentist may recommend placing a crown to cover the structure as part of the procedure. If the dentist suspects that a filling may be cracked or leaking (when the sides of the filling don't fit well against the tooth, this allows debris and saliva to leak between the filling and the tooth, which can lead to tooth decay), he or she will take x-rays to assess the situation. To treat tooth decay, the dentist will remove the decayed part of the tooth and then fill in the area of the tooth where the decayed material was removed.
To treat root cavities, dentists start by removing any tooth decay and then filling the cavity with a filling. After removing decayed parts of a tooth, dentists can fill the cavity to seal the hole and restore proper functioning. When patients have developed holes in their teeth known as “cavities,” it is essential that they seek the help of an experienced dentist to address the problem before it becomes more significant, more expensive, and more harmful to the rest of the tooth. The dentist determines the causes of the pain and may suggest a new non-surgical root canal treatment that involves opening the tooth and cleaning the pulp chamber again if necessary.
While dental fillings are usually very successful in treating mild to moderate cavities, your dentist will need to suggest another option if the cavity is too large for a filling. Although amalgams contain mercury, when mixed with other metals, such as silver, copper, tin and zinc, they form a stable alloy that dentists have used for more than 100 years to fill and preserve hundreds of millions of decayed teeth. .
