There are many reasons why adult teeth need treatment. The most common reason is decay followed by fractured teeth and old restorations needing replacement. If we recommend that a tooth with a cavity be treated and more than a few weeks pass after the initial diagnosis, the cavity will almost always get bigger and can cause pain, which requires more extensive and expensive treatment. The tooth may even have to be removed and replaced with a false (or artificial) tooth. If you have a cavity and it needs a restoration, there are different kinds of materials that can be placed to restore the functionality of the tooth. Please remember that a tooth can need treatment before it causes pain. If a tooth causes pain, it can be saved but the treatment time and cost typically increases due to the time and complexity of the procedures needed to treat the symptoms.

A molar with two cavities

How a Cavity Forms

A cavity is a very small hole that forms on the surface, the side or the root of a tooth. Cavities are caused when sugars in the food you eat combine with the bacteria in your mouth. This combination produces a mild acid that eats away at the enamel, which is the hard, outer layer of your teeth. Cavities can occur at any age but the majority occurs before adulthood, when your hygiene is not as good as it needs to be. There is a genetic component to the health of your teeth as well as the gum and bone that hold the teeth in your mouth. However, no matter how good your genes are, if you don't maintain your teeth, you can be prone to very serious consequences.

Babies tend to get cavities on the front teeth especially if they are given a bottle to sleep with that contains sugars. This is referred to as baby bottle tooth decay. Children tend to get cavities on the chewing surfaces as well as in-between teeth. Adults can get new as well as recurrent cavities. New cavities tend to form in between teeth and on the root surfaces of teeth. The cavities that form in between occur typically due to a lack of flossing. Cavities on the root surfaces of teeth occur due to the fact that the root surface of teeth are not covered with enamel and are therefore softer and more prone to cavities. The root can be exposed due to hard brushing as well as bone loss due to gum disease. Cavities that reoccur form next to existing restorations such as fillings, crowns, bridges, etc. As restorations get old, the filling material can shrink or wear away causing the possibility of a small space between the tooth and the restoration, which is a prime area for bacteria to accumulate, which is a breeding ground for recurrent decay. To do an experiment with fluoride to see how it helps fight cavities, please click here.

Cavities and Restoration Choices

As part of any visit to our office, we check all of your restorations such as crowns, fillings, bridges, veneers, etc. for any sign of decay or old age and we may recommend x-rays so that we can see inside and between your teeth. If we spot any cavities, we will recommend different options for restoring the tooth to full function. If is just the very beginning of a cavity, we may even keep our eye on it and recommend a home fluoride rinse that can help the tooth to fight the cavity and possibly prevent a restoration from being placed.