Tooth Decay Treatment

Tooth Decay usually happens when the dentine or the enamel of a tooth is softened by acid from plaque that forms inside the mouth. Over time, Plaque, an accumulation of bacteria, will create a cavity/hole in the tooth leading to dental decay.

Tooth Decay Treatment

The sooner you seek dental attention the better chances you have of reversing dental decay because treatment options normally rely on the severity of the condition. Tooth Decay can be treated by:

• Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatments are usually administered during the early stages of tooth decay in order to restore the infected enamel. A Fluoride treatment can be in form of a gel, a liquid, varnish or foam which is brushed on the teeth or by fitting a small-tray that contains fluoride over the infected tooth. Fluoride helps to protect the teeth by making it to be more resistant to damaging acids and also by strengthening it.

• Fillings

Also known as Restorations, Filling is the main tooth decay treatment option when the decay-effect has progressed beyond the very early stages. Fillings can be made using materials like porcelain, composite resins or a dental amalgam which involves a combination of various materials.

• Crown

If the tooth is completely weakened or the decay is extensive, the best dental treatment option to be administered should be a crown i.e. a custom –fitted tooth covering that is used to entirely replace the infected tooth’s natural crown. The decayed area is drilled and the crown is fitted. A crown can be made of high-quality porcelain, porcelain combined with metals or some other material, gold or resin.

• Root Canal

In case the decay has reached the pulp (the inner central part of the tooth which contains nerves and blood), a root canal should be administered. Instead of removing the infected tooth, a Root Canal is used to repair it. Normally, the damaged pulp is removed and then it’s replaced with filling.

• Tooth Extraction

When a tooth is decayed severely and it can’t be restored then it must be removed. Removing a tooth usually leaves a gap that can make the other teeth to shift hence it’s appropriate to get a dental implant, bridge or a partial denture in order to replace the removed tooth.

Note that regular dental checkups are important so that an early tooth decay problem can be detected and reversed as soon as possible. The earlier it’s detected, the more it becomes very easy and cheap to treat it. Find out more about tooth decay by clicking this link here.