What are dental cavities?
Dental cavities are basically a soft part of a tooth structure which is supposed to be hard. The enamel that covers the tooth structure is the only bone that we have in the body that is actually in the open. All the rest of the bone is covered by meat or by the muscles. That's the only bone that is exposed, and sometimes it should be very, very hard. Sometimes what happens is because of the food getting stuck there or something, there's a soft spot on that tooth, and that is called decay or cavity.
What causes cavities?
What causes cavities is basically when the enamel is getting demineralized. It becomes more acidic, approaches it, and stays next to the tooth, making the enamel weak, which then gets decayed. It becomes soft, not as hard as it normally would have been.
How does a dentist check for cavities?
The dentist would have different tools for that. Of course, the number one tool is the x-ray. We would take x-rays, and we can see on the x-ray image that the tooth has, in fact, decayed. The other way to check would be with different tools. One of them is called Diagnodent, which basically shines infrared light right on the tooth, on the enamel, and by bouncing light back, it would detect whether there is a hard structure or soft structure. When it's softer than it should be, we know there is decay. There's also a video scan that we can take. It's a three-dimensional video scan by a company named iTero. So pretty much 100% of patients that come to us in our office, we do that, and it has infrared light technology, so you don't even need x-rays to be taken. We can see with that technology; we can see the cavities. So it is good for pregnant patients because they're not allowed to have extra x-rays, which we can just scan them, and it's a video scan. It's a three-dimensional video scan, and with that, with the NITI technology, we can actually see the decay in the teeth without x-rays. The third most common way to see cavities is just visually. You can actually see it. You can see it's a different color. You can also touch it with the Explorer, which is an instrument that looks like a needle. When you touch it, you can tell whether you're touching a hard structure or a soft structure. If it's supposed to be hard and now it's soft, then you know there is decay. But the color would be the most giving away symptom. If the color is different from white, then of course something is wrong with that tooth.
What are the stages of cavities?
The stages of the cavity could go from the beginning stage, when it's halfway through the enamel, and it doesn't have to be filled yet. In fact, there are some products on the market available for remineralization of enamel, which means you can actually fix it, and don't let it progress into being a full-blown decay cavity in the tooth where it needs a restoration like a filling or something. So it can still be fixed. That would be stage one. Stage two is when it's completely through the enamel. When it's through the enamel, you already need treatment by a dentist. It's not enough for you to get the remineralization process going because it will not remineralize enamel fully, and you still have decay in the tooth. The next stage would be when the inner layer, the one that is after the enamel, called dentin, is already involved. Needless to say, of course, you need restoration with that. The next one would be when the decay is going all the way into the nerve chamber, which hides in the center of the tooth. If it goes all the way to that, then you need more than just a filling in the tooth. A lot of people come in and say, "Oh, I just need a filling because my tooth is starting to hurt." If it's starting to hurt, then filling probably is not the answer for it anymore. The last one would be when decay is so large that there's no tooth structure left. It went all the way through the coronal portion and went into the root portion of the tooth, and the roots are all decayed and so on. Of course, that would lead to tooth loss in that case. So, those are all different stages of the decay in the tooth.
Can a cavity spread to other teeth?
Well, it's not an infection. So, technically speaking, no, not really. It doesn't spread to other teeth, but because the space becomes soft. Let's say we have two teeth next to each other, and one tooth becomes decayed because the space is so big in there. Now the food keeps getting stuck, and it can also enter into the next tooth. So, technically speaking, it cannot spread to the other tooth. Can you get a cavity in the tooth next to it because that tooth is not functioning the way it's supposed to? Yes.
Is it possible for cavities to go away?
Is it possible for a cavity to go away? Well, on its own, the cavity will never go away. It will either develop slowly or fast. So, if it's still in the enamel, which is the hardest part of the tooth, it will develop slower than when it's already passed through enamel. Then it can develop really fast.
How do you stop a cavity from progressing?
Well, let's say if it is the first stage of the decay when it's only going through half of the enamel, how do you stop it from going further? You can use materials like M.I. paste. Like M.I., right? M.I. paste. Usually, it's sold by hygienists, and you use that to remineralize your enamel. It's not a toothpaste that you would brush your teeth with. You use it after you brush your teeth. Normally you put a pea-size on your finger and rub it into your teeth after brushing and smile for 30 seconds, and it will absorb. Kind of like lotion. When you wash your hands, if your hands are dry after that, and you use lotion, you don't wash the lotion off. The same thing with the M.I. paste. You just leave it on, and it absorbs and remineralizes enamel. But sometimes it's just too late for that.
How long do cavity fillings last?
How long do cavity fillings last? Well, if it's taken care of, meaning that you see your hygienist regularly and you brush and floss at home regularly, it can last you a lifetime. Of course, if you don't take care of your teeth, then it will fail pretty quickly. It could fail within six months or so if you don't take care of the teeth. So how long will it last? The answer is it's up to you. Take care of your teeth. See your dentist and your hygienist regularly, and it will last you a lifetime.
Can dental cleaning prevent cavities?
Can dental cleaning prevent cavities? And the answer is yes. Dental cleaning will help you to prevent cavities. Of course, dental cleaning alone is not going to do that. It will require you to participate as well and do cleanings at home. Brush your teeth, floss, eat a healthy diet, and so on. But yes, it will help you.
What should I do if I suspect I have a cavity?
What should I do if I suspect I have a cavity? Well, number one, see your dentist. The only person that fixes cavities is a dentist. There's nothing else that will help you effectively. Not even in my case. It has to be looked at by the dentist, and he will prescribe it if it's necessary. But that's who fixes cavities. So if you have your dentist already, if you suspect that you have a cavity, give them a call. If you can't get in contact with them or if you simply don't have a dentist yet, you can give us a call at (718) 728-3314 or find us online on alldentalneeds.com and send us an email, and somebody will get back to you so you can come in, and we together can see your tooth and see if it's really a cavity and what would be the correct solution for the problem you have with your tooth.