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Tooth Decay begins when the protein of
your saliva combines with the sugars and carbohydrates
of food particles left on and between your teeth. This
combination creates bacteria-laden plaque, from which
acid is produced that eats away at the hard enamel shell
around your tooth. Left unchecked, a hole will be created
in the enamel and a cavity will rapidly form in the softer
dentin which lies under the enamel. If the cavity is caught
in time, usually a Filling
will correct the problem. Larger cavities may require
an Inlay or Onlay, or a Crown.
However, if nothing is done and the decay spreads, the
sensitive pulp (nerve) may become involved, often causing
an Abscess, and Root
Canal Therapy or Extraction
may be required. |
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No cavity on first X-ray.
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Months later, cavities that start
between the teeth can't be seen by visual examination,
but they can be detected on an X-ray.
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This cavity was detected and filled before the patient felt
any discomfort, and before the nerve became infected or the
tooth became abscessed.
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