If you’ve got the wintertime blues due to a cavity, restorative dentistry can certainly help. Often a simple tooth filling is enough to restore a tooth after a cavity. The key is simply to seek treatment as soon as you notice a problem, when minimally invasive treatment can still be effective. Otherwise you increase the chance that you’ll need more extensive treatment, like root canal therapy. If you’re tired of suffering from tooth decay, and are ready to get back into the spirit of the season, it’s time to call your restorative dentist. With a tooth filling, you can start spreading holiday cheer with a healthier and happier smile!

How Cavities Form, and How They’re Treated

Cavities are caused when acid erosion, generally caused by plaque buildup, eats away at the enamel of the teeth. This can expose the more sensitive layer, underneath, which is why many cavity sufferers experience sensitivity or pain. Other symptoms of a cavity include grey or black lines, often found in teeth’s crevices. You might also see overly white patches appearing on a tooth; this can mean the layer beneath the enamel, called the dentin, has already become exposed.

If you have a cavity, scheduling an appointment with a restorative dentist is the best course of action. Caught early, cavities are most often treated with simple tooth fillings. While gold or metal fillings were most common in the past, modern dentistry provides a more esthetically-pleasing alternative, in the form of tooth-colored fillings.

These white fillings are made of durable and moldable composite resin, which bonds well with teeth, creating a tight seal, while also blending well with existing teeth. This makes for a more seamless form of restoration than metal fillings.