Taking care of your smile is much more involved than you might initially believe. After all, your oral health consists of more than just your teeth, but your gums, tongue, lips, tissues, and other structures as well. Indeed, there are a myriad of oral health concerns that individuals must face every day, and falling short in your preventive routine can significantly impact the quality of your grin. Fortunately, restorative dentistry helps us reverse some of the damage endured this way, but failing to act in a timely manner can be a detriment to successful treatment. In today’s blog, your Auburn Hills, MI dentist discusses the varying degrees of decay, and how restorative treatment at different stages can help.
Early Prevention with Fillings
Just like many other oral health concerns before it, dental decay is the result of hyperactive oral bacteria. These microorganisms are present in every smile, and it is up to you to take care of your grin so that they can be kept at bay.
When you consume food, the oral bacteria also feed off of the foods and sugars that are taken in. This causes them to produce a destructive acid that actively wears down your teeth, and over time, a cavity may form.
To address decay in its earlier stages, your dentist may recommend the help of a composite resin filling treatment. This process involves carefully but thoroughly removing the infected portions of the tooth, then filling the open hole with resin filling. After it has been shaped to satisfaction, a special light is used to cure the material, then you are good to go. For more information about this process, reach out to our team today.
Containing Infection with Crowns
The next effective restorative treatment involves the use of lifelike dental crowns. These caps can either be used to protect a tooth after a restorative treatment such as a filling, or to keep bacteria from affecting surrounding teeth. What’s more? A dental crown reinforces your structure’s strength while also preventing other bacteria and threats from entering. To learn more about this process, reach out to our team today.
Root Canal Therapy to Protect Your Nerves
As we mentioned before, time is not on your side when it comes to dental decay. In fact, the infection will continue to work its way internally and infect inner dental pulp as well as damage your nerves. As a last-ditch effort to protect your natural teeth, your dentist may utilize a root canal treatment. If you wait too long, however, this method may no longer be effective and you might face the possibility of a dental extraction.
Learn More Today
Contact Advanced Dental Concepts in Auburn Hills, MI by calling 248-852-1820 to schedule your next appointment with our team, or to learn more about the dangers of decay.
