What Are the Different Types of Cavities?

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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAVITIES?
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Cavities are the ultimate enemy that you battle
against every time you brush your teeth. While
most people learn about cavities as children,
you might not know everything there is to know
about tooth decay.
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People are often surprised to discover that there
are different types of cavities. Learning more
about tooth decay lets you know what we are
looking for during your dental exams.
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How Do Cavities Form?
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Your mouth contains natural bacteria that usually
doesnt cause a problem. Oral bacteria feeds
upon the same food that you eat.
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It mostly feeds on sugar and carbohydrates.
This is why you will often hear dentists
recommend that you limit your sugar intake.
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As the bacteria feeds, it creates acid. The
acid then breaks down the tooth enamel until a
cavity develops.
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How Do Dentists Classify Cavities?
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Most cavities form slowly. They can also appear
on any part of your tooth. Dentists classify
cavities by naming the location of the cavity on
the tooths surface. It is also possible to have
several types of cavities on the same tooth.
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Smooth Surface Cavity
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Youll often find this type of cavity on the
visible surfaces of your teeth. Since the
smooth part of your teeth is harder for the
bacteria to build upon, these cavities are fairly
uncommon.
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They often show up between the teeth or on the
backs. Making sure to floss and brush all of
your teeths surfaces helps prevent these
cavities.
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Pit and Fissure Cavity
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If you take a look at your back molars, youll
notice little grooves that help you chew your
food. Those tiny crevices often catch food and
can accumulate bacteria inside of them.
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Brushing can help, but some people have deep pits
and fissures that are hard to fully clean. We
can apply sealants on the back teeth that help to
stop food from getting inside the grooves.
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Root Cavity
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The roots of your teeth usually lie below the gum
line. This helps to prevent cavities from
forming there.
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People with gum recession are more likely to
have this type of cavity show up. The roots of
your teeth have less enamel than the other parts.
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A cavity on the root can get deep very fast and
require more intensive forms of treatment.
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Are All Types of Cavities Treated the Same?
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Dentists also classify cavities by how far
theyve progressed. Cavities go through six
stages of progression. The first stage is the
earliest.
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At this point, the tooth decay hasnt led to a
true cavity. Instead, you may have chalky white
spots where the enamel is breaking down.
Cavities at this stage can sometimes be halted
with fluoride treatments.
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The next stages of cavity progression include
ones that are breaking through the enamel or the
underlying dentin. Dentists treat these with
traditional fillings.
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Once you reach the later stages of progression,
the decay has gone down to the tooth pulp. At
this point, your best option for treatment is
likely to be a root canal.
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A crown is often needed to restore teeth after a
root canal or large filling. Understanding which
type of cavity you have can help you identify
strategies to prevent future ones.
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Developing a pit and fissure cavity could mean
that you could benefit from sealants. A smooth
surface cavity might mean that you need help
improving your oral hygiene techniques.
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Figuring out what is causing a cavity is
beneficial for preventing tooth decay in the
future.
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Noble Dental Care is a family-oriented dental
care clinic with dentists that care about you and
your health. Give us the opportunity to give you
the smile of your dreams.
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Call us for an appointment at [phone].
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