Cavities, early stages of tooth decay, will affect most of us at some point in our lives. They form when the natural bacteria in your mouth penetrate weak spots in enamel, the outer layer of the tooth. Then the bacteria eat away at the dental structure to create a hole in the tooth’s surface.
Your dentist will need to treat the cavity, or the decay will worsen. But how can a dentist access the cavities that develop between the teeth? The tricky location is a common spot for cavities. But you might worry about how a dentist will go about eradicating decay there.
You can expect similar treatment for cavities between your teeth, known as interproximal cavities, as you would anywhere else in your smile. Read on to learn more about how your dentist will get rid of cavities in your smile, restoring your oral health, especially between two teeth.
What Does Cavity Treatment Involve?
Cavities often present with noticeable symptoms, such as dental discoloration or tooth sensitivity pain. But dentists can also identify tooth decay on your smile through dental x-rays. They will treat the cavity by drilling away the damaged part of the tooth.
To ensure your comfort, they will first administer a local anesthetic to numb the area. Then they eradicate the tooth decay and fill the resulting hole in the tooth with composite resin. They cure the resin to harden it into place as a dental filling that will both restore the dental structure and protect the vulnerable area from further harm.
How Can My Dentist Reach Cavities Between Teeth?
You may not see an interproximal cavity yourself, but a routine dental x-ray can reveal this decay between your teeth. However, you might worry about how your dentist can access this part of the tooth to remove the cavity properly. The dentist will need to drill more of the enamel to reach this type of cavity.
The dentist will place a dental filling in the resulting hole as they normally would. But if an extensive amount of enamel was drilled away, they may need to use a dental crown to cover and protect this larger portion of the tooth. With proper care, the filling will remain in place for about ten years. A crown can last for fifteen years or longer.
Can I Prevent Cavities Between Teeth?
Your oral hygiene routine allows you to remove problematic plaque from your teeth before it starts to weaken your tooth enamel, making your smile ripe for cavities. But interproximal cavities can be harder to prevent because your toothbrush cannot reach the spaces between your teeth to get them effectively clean.
You should adhere to a thorough and consistent flossing regimen to scrub away plaque between your teeth and reduce your risk of cavities there. To maximize oral hygiene, you should also visit your dentist for regular teeth cleanings.
Limit acidic foods and beverages from your diet as well. These will also erode your enamel and make your teeth more susceptible to decay.