A consistent routine of good hygiene and regular visits to your dentist can help you avoid most common dental issues. But, unfortunately, there’s no absolute guarantee that you can prevent your teeth from ever experiencing tooth decay. When prevention fails, the best way to treat tooth decay is to do so early, before it has a chance to erode much of your tooth structure. Depending on how extensive your decay is, your dentist can customize a treatment to restore your tooth and help you avoid further tooth infection.

A Tooth-Colored Filling

Fillings are the most common treatment for tooth decay and cavities, and are highly effective at treating mild to moderate tooth infection. With a tooth-colored filling, you can not only save your tooth from a cavity, but also maintain and improve your smile’s appearance. A tooth-colored filling is made from biocompatible resin that your dentist can custom-tint to match your tooth’s unique color. The resin also creates a seal to stop oral bacteria (the cause of tooth decay) from reaching the exposed tooth structure inside of the cavity.

Root Canal Therapy

When tooth decay is allowed to progress untreated, it can reach the pulp at the center of your tooth—a chamber that contains nerves, blood vessels, and other soft tissues. In such cases, your dentist may recommend root canal therapy to remove the infection from your pulp chamber, seal the pulp and root canals, and restore the compromised tooth. For additional protection, your dentist will likely place a dental crown over the tooth after your root canal procedure is completed.

Treat Tooth Decay Before It’s Too Late

If you experience decay in one or more of your teeth, then visit your dentist to treat it before the tooth is lost or needs extraction. Make an appointment by calling Dr. Steven Huffstutler in Ft. Worth, TX, today at 817-918-3038.