Aside from routine dental checkups and cleanings, most dental treatments are recommended to address specific types of concerns with your teeth or oral health. However, that doesn’t mean every person who exhibits the same kind of problem will require the same treatment to address it. For example, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic oral health problems, but treating it can vary greatly depending on several important factors. Today, we examine what those factors are, and what treating your specific tooth decay could entail.
What having tooth decay actually means
The reason why tooth decay can vary so much is because the condition progresses through several different stages. When it first begins, the enamel around your teeth become weak and compromised by oral bacteria. Then, the main tooth structure becomes infected, and the infection erodes more of your tooth structure the further it progresses. The point of treating tooth decay is to stop this progression as soon as possible and to restore any amount of tooth structure that’s been eroded by it. This can change depending on the extent of your tooth decay, and how much of the tooth’s structure is compromised.
The extent of your tooth’s infection
Because tooth decay can range from mild to severe, and the extent of damage to your tooth can vary, the first and most important step in treating your tooth is determine the extent of your decay. For example, if the infection is detected and treated when it still remains in your tooth’s main structure, then the most appropriate treatment may involve cleaning and filling the cavity that has formed in this structure. However, if the decay in your tooth has become more severe, then you may need more involved treatment, such as root canal therapy.
Designing the most appropriate treatment
The point of treating your tooth is to save it from the decay that threatens it. Unfortunately, the presence of tooth decay means that the tooth structure you’ve lost so far will remain gone, and your tooth will rely on a custom-designed restoration to regain its strength and functionality. While designing your appropriate treatment, the goal will be to help you preserve a maximum amount of your healthy, natural tooth structure, which requires minimizing your treatment by designing it to precisely address your unique case of tooth decay.
Learn what treating tooth decay means for you
The specific tooth in which decay has developed and the extent to which it has affected the tooth’s structure can make restoring your tooth a highly personalized process. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling MMC Dental in Houston, TX, today at (713) 926-8896.