When you come in and we diagnose you with a cavity, the best way to respond is to set up a follow-up visit for a restorative treatment. While this sounds logical, you may still find that you have some specific questions about whether you need a dental filling or another treatment, how pressing it is that you schedule your care, and more. Let’s clear up some confusion by answering questions frequently asked after we discover decay.

Questions and Answers

Question: What happens if you find out that I have a cavity? Will you tell me to keep an eye on it for a while or will I need restorative care immediately?

Answer: When it comes to cavities, treating them immediately is always the best plan. They will continue to grow (and leave your tooth vulnerable to future damage) if we ignore them. Generally speaking, you will need a dental filling.

Question: What if I was diagnosed with a cavity a long time ago and things have gotten significantly worse? Are you going to have to remove the tooth?

Answer: We will only need to suggest an extraction if your tooth decay is extremely severe and has led to infection or other serious complications that make restoration impossible. Usually, we can treat severe decay with the placement of a dental crown instead of the use of a dental filling.

Question: Is it going to be pretty obvious after you fix my cavity that I once suffered from tooth decay? Or, is it something you can fix so that it looks like my tooth is completely healthy again?

Answer: Fortunately, the use of a white filling means that your tooth will both be healthy again and look healthy. Nobody will have any idea you have a filling (or that you once experienced decay).