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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. |
Months later, cavities that start
between the teeth can't be seen by visual examination,
but they can be detected on an X-ray. |
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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