• Call Us 417-887-1220
  • Make An Appointment
  • Visit Us
  • 417-887-1220
  • Make An Appointment
  • Dental Services
    • General Dentistry
      • Gum Disease
      • Tooth Extractions
      • Fillings
      • Root Canals
      • Dental FAQs
    • Orthodontics
      • Two-Phase Treatment
      • Early Orthodontic Treatment with Dr. Steven Harrison
      • Adult Orthodontic Treatment by Dr. Steven Harrison
      • Orthodontics for Teens
      • Retainer Instructions
      • Emergency Care
      • Life with Braces
        • Types of Braces
        • Traditional Braces
        • Clear Aligners
        • Clear Ceramic Braces
    • Dental Implants
    • Pediatric Dentistry
      • Dental Care for Your Baby
      • Thumb Sucking
      • Tooth Decay
      • Cavities
      • Tooth Extractions
      • Pediatric Dental FAQs
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
      • Botox in Springfield, Missouri
      • Teeth Whitening
      • Invisalign
        • Invisalign at Parkcrest
        • Teen Invisalign
      • Bridges
      • Crowns
      • Veneers
      • Dentures
      • Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
  • New Patients
    • Tour Our Office
    • Financial Information
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Testimonials
    • Patient Forms
  • Sedation Dentistry
  • Preventive Care
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Brushing & Flossing Tips
    • Orthodontic Dentistry: Brushing & Flossing with Braces
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Radiology
    • General Dentistry & Oral Cancer Screening
    • Sealants at the Parkcrest Dental Group
    • General Dentistry & Fluoride
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Meet Dr. Scott
    • Meet Dr. Ropka
    • Meet Dr. Harrison
    • Meet Dr. Hall
    • Meet Dr. Fannin
    • Meet Dr. Dills
    • Meet Dr. Sponenberg
    • Meet Dr. Snider
    • Meet Dr. Allie
    • Community Involvement
    • What Sets Us Apart
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
    • Braces
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
    • Dental
    • Dental Care
    • Dental Education
    • Dental Implants
    • Dental Products
    • FAQ
    • Floss
    • Pediatric
    • Teeth Whitening
Menu
  • Dental Services
    • General Dentistry
      • Gum Disease
      • Tooth Extractions
      • Fillings
      • Root Canals
      • Dental FAQs
    • Orthodontics
      • Two-Phase Treatment
      • Early Orthodontic Treatment with Dr. Steven Harrison
      • Adult Orthodontic Treatment by Dr. Steven Harrison
      • Orthodontics for Teens
      • Retainer Instructions
      • Emergency Care
      • Life with Braces
        • Types of Braces
        • Traditional Braces
        • Clear Aligners
        • Clear Ceramic Braces
    • Dental Implants
    • Pediatric Dentistry
      • Dental Care for Your Baby
      • Thumb Sucking
      • Tooth Decay
      • Cavities
      • Tooth Extractions
      • Pediatric Dental FAQs
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
      • Botox in Springfield, Missouri
      • Teeth Whitening
      • Invisalign
        • Invisalign at Parkcrest
        • Teen Invisalign
      • Bridges
      • Crowns
      • Veneers
      • Dentures
      • Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
  • New Patients
    • Tour Our Office
    • Financial Information
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Testimonials
    • Patient Forms
  • Sedation Dentistry
  • Preventive Care
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Brushing & Flossing Tips
    • Orthodontic Dentistry: Brushing & Flossing with Braces
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Radiology
    • General Dentistry & Oral Cancer Screening
    • Sealants at the Parkcrest Dental Group
    • General Dentistry & Fluoride
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Meet Dr. Scott
    • Meet Dr. Ropka
    • Meet Dr. Harrison
    • Meet Dr. Hall
    • Meet Dr. Fannin
    • Meet Dr. Dills
    • Meet Dr. Sponenberg
    • Meet Dr. Snider
    • Meet Dr. Allie
    • Community Involvement
    • What Sets Us Apart
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
    • Braces
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
    • Dental
    • Dental Care
    • Dental Education
    • Dental Implants
    • Dental Products
    • FAQ
    • Floss
    • Pediatric
    • Teeth Whitening

Cavities FAQs

  • June 16, 2022
  • 12:06 pm
  • FAQ
  • Cavities, faqs, Parkcrest Dental Group

Parkcrest Dental Group in Springfield, Missouri, can take care of your family’s teeth from age 2 to 102. 

One thing our doctors can do is help you if any of your teeth have cavities. Take a look at our answers to frequently asked questions about cavities.

What are cavities?

Cavities are worn, damaged areas of teeth that lead to holes in the hard surface of teeth. Because cavities form in the mineral part of your teeth, they cannot regrow the part of the tooth that is lost.

What causes cavities?

A combination of food, saliva, bacteria, and acid can cause a cavity over time by forming plaque. Plaque is a sticky film that coats your teeth. Tiny bacteria consume any leftover bits of food in between your teeth, especially sugary foods, to form an acid that gradually wears away layers of enamel. If enough wear happens, a cavity could develop on your tooth. Cavities may take up to three years to form on a tooth if someone has strong enamel.

What are the signs of a cavity?

Pay attention to any of the following signs, if you experience any you may have a cavity on a tooth:

  1. A toothache, or pain, that occurs suddenly and without warning in your mouth.
  2. Tooth sensitivity, particularly when you consume hot or cold foods like coffee, tea, ice cream or very cold drinks like soda with ice. You might also experience tooth sensitivity when consuming sugary or sweet foods.
  3. Visible holes in your teeth. These may show up as dark brown or black areas on your white enamel.
  4. Pain occurring when you bite down on something.

If you experience any of these symptoms, we recommend making an appointment to see one of our dentists.

Who gets cavities?

As many as 80 percent of Americans will get at least one cavity by their mid-30s, but they are more common in children, because they might not brush their teeth as much or consume more sugary foods.

How does a dentist repair a cavity?

Woman Experiencing Tooth Pain and Wincing

The most common way a dentist can repair a cavity is with a dental filling.

A dental filling is made of composite resin, and it looks just like your natural tooth. It’s also very hard, withstands ordinary wear and tear, and has the potential to last for up to 15 years with proper oral hygiene and care.

Your dentist will examine your mouth to see if the cavity can be repaired and suggest a dental filling to fix it. Then you’ll have a second appointment to fix the cavity.

During the next appointment, your dentist will numb the area around the tooth that needs the cavity repair. That side of your mouth may be numb for a few hours following your appointment. But rest assured, you won’t feel any pain. 

Then, the doctor will use a very tiny instrument to remove the decayed part of your tooth. This is so the composite resin can form a stronger bond with the enamel that remains.

Your dentist will place composite resin in the tooth in layers to make sure it bonds properly to the tooth until it fills the entire hole. We’ll use small amounts of ultraviolet light to cure the composite resin to make sure it hardens and it’s ready for the next layer. After a little while, your new dental filling is ready and the cavity is repaired!

Can a cavity heal itself?

Yes, if you catch a cavity early enough. Enamel can take advantage of the minerals found in saliva, like calcium and phosphate, along with fluoride from toothpaste to help build back any missing enamel. The early stages of tooth decay are typically marked by a white spot where your tooth has lost minerals.

If your tooth has visible decay, there are a few products on the American Dental Association’s shopping list of products that have its seal of approval. Under the category of enamel erosion control, look for Crest Gum & Enamel Repair toothpaste.

What happens when cavities go untreated?

If cavities are left untreated, they can cause tooth decay that rots the inside of a tooth or cause the tooth to break apart. In worst cases, an infection may form an abscess. Someone with advanced tooth decay may need a root canal to save the tooth or an extraction if the tooth is beyond repair.

What foods cause cavities?

Chewy candies with a lot of sugar can cause tooth decay over time, especially if you don’t get the sweet bits out from between your teeth. Starchy snacks have the same difficulty. They stick to places between teeth. Citrus fruits and sugary juices are very sweet and can foster bacterial growth. Sweet treats, in general, with a lot of sugar can encourage even more bacteria to grow in your mouth. 

We encourage you to avoid these types of foods as much as possible to foster better oral hygiene.

Who can help me if I have a cavity?

The doctors at Parkcrest Dental Group in Springfield, Missouri, can help you or a family member who has a cavity that needs repair. Contact Parkcrest Dental or call (417) 887-1220 for more information or to make an appointment with us.

Meet Some Dentists in Springfield, MO

Some of the doctors at Parkcrest Dental Group

Dr. Stuart Scott (top left) is our pediatric dentist. He earned his degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry before completing a two-year residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Steven Harrison (top center) is board-certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Harrison, our orthodontist, graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. He’s been with Parkcrest Dental Group since 1986.

Dr. Chanin Ropka (top right) attended UMKC before joining the United States Navy, where she served as the only dentist on board the USS Germantown and at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Ropka began at Parkcrest Dental in 2001.

Dr. Daniel Fannin (bottom left) graduated from UMKC School of Dentistry in 1997. He completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency in 1998 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group that same year.

Dr. Steven C. Sponenberg (bottom center) has been a Springfieldian his entire life. He graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2004 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group immediately after.

Dr. Jason Hall (bottom right) is also a native Springfieldian. He earned his DDS from the University of Missouri at Kansas City Dental School in 1997. He came to Parkcrest Dental Group in 2010. Dr. Hall’s father, Stan, is also a dentist.

More to explore

Are Fillings Necessary for Baby Teeth?

March 2, 2023

In some instances, yes, our pediatric dentist may recommend fillings for your child, even for teeth that will fall out eventually, to

Gummy vitamins for kids spilling out on a table

Gummy Vitamins & Your Child’s Oral Health

February 2, 2023

Gummy vitamins are soaring in popularity. They’re a $6 billion industry, expected to grow to nearly $9.5 billion by 2028. Parents love

Baby Chewing on a Teething Toy

Teething FAQs

January 5, 2023

Your baby has been crying more lately, and is a bit fussy. As a parent, you notice these things. What could be

Archives
Search
Categories
  • Braces (62)
  • Cosmetic Dentistry (32)
  • Dental (19)
  • Dental Care (146)
  • Dental Education (178)
  • Dental Implants (13)
  • Dental Products (65)
  • FAQ (162)
  • Floss (12)
  • Pediatric (73)
  • Teeth Whitening (29)
Previous
Next

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • 540 W Lasalle St, Springfield, MO 65807
  • (417) 887-1220
  • Follow Us:
  • Dental FAQs
  • Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
  • Pediatric Dental FAQs
  • Privacy Practices

Web Design: BigPxl