Sometimes cavities fly under the radar. Other times, though, cavity symptoms might make you feel like your mouth is a trainwreck.
Spoiler alert: cavities don't always hurt. In fact, many people assume they don’t have a cavity because they don’t feel anything. However, cavities don’t cause pain-at least not in the early stages. When they do start to cause pain, you have waited too long, and you will have to pay for more extensive treatments instead of quick and convenient ones. After all, you won’t feel pain until the cavity reaches the pulp in the center of your tooth. At that point, an abscess, or an infected hole could form around the tooth’s roots.
Abscesses don’t just cause pain. They can also spread bacteria to neighboring teeth or even other areas throughout the body. So don’t wait for treatment if you have a cavity. It's like going to your physician for your annual examinations hoping for the reassurance that everything is fine with your body and that, overall, you are healthy. Sometimes, however, your doctor may detect an issue of concern and order further tests. Sometimes, these tests reveal an underlying condition even though you are feeling quite well and are experiencing no signs or symptoms – ones that you can detect that is! Clinically (with our eyes), we only see about a third of a person’s dental health which is why, in the absence of pain or signs and symptoms, a picture is truly worth a thousand words. 3D dental imaging at Downtown Dental provides valuable information that allows us to see areas of the tooth that is below the gum line as well as the bone that supports it. Being able to see the mouth in three dimensions allows the dentist to better and more effectively formulate an approach to treat dental conditions. Click here to learn more about laser assisted fillings at Downtown Dental.