Can I wait 2 years to fill a cavity?

Like most ailments, the longer you leave a cavity without treatment, the worse it's going to get. In a span of 3-6 months cavities can reach the nerve of your tooth. That's not good.

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What happens if you leave a cavity for 2 years?

If a cavity goes untreated for two years or longer, severe damage to the tooth is likely. You will notice discoloration around the tooth, swelling around the gums, and severe pain and sensitivity. The bacteria will probably have damaged the tooth root and pulp at this point. You may lose the tooth.

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How long can you delay a cavity filling?

How Long Can You Delay Treatment on a Cavity Still in the Enamel? In some cases, early signs of tooth erosion in the enamel can be successfully treated with fluoride toothpaste or surface filling materials. But once an actual cavity forms, dentists usually recommend treating it within a year.

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What happens if you wait too long to get a cavity filled?

Delayed treatment can also lead to the decay reaching the nerve of your tooth. At this point, our dentists may recommend root canal therapy and the placement of a dental crown to protect the vulnerable tooth. Tooth extraction could also happen if the decay is severe enough.

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At what point can a cavity not be filled?

If the decay reaches your tooth's main structure, called dentin, then a filling can replace the lost tooth structure after your dentist has cleaned the cavity of bacteria and infection. However, if it reaches the tooth's center chamber, called the pulp, a filling may no longer suffice to address it.

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do you REALLY need to get a CAVITY filled?

34 related questions found

Is it bad to leave a cavity unfilled?

It is so easy to get fillings nowadays, but for a lot of people that takes away an understanding of just how dangerous cavities can be. Essentially, leaving a cavity untreated: Bad idea! The longer you leave a cavity untreated, the more susceptible you are to decay, rot, and infection.

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How do you know if a cavity is too late?

If you get to the point where your tooth hurts all the time, you either have an advanced cavity or another, equally serious oral health issue. You need to see your dentist as soon as possible to diagnose the cause of pain so you can treat it and try to salvage your tooth.

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Do cavities need to be filled immediately?

It is crucial that you have your tooth decay treated by your dentist as quickly as possible. The longer a cavity is allowed to progress, the more extensive the damage is likely to be. If tooth decay continues without professional treatment, it can cause an abscess and even lead to tooth loss.

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How quickly do cavities progress?

A cavity can take anywhere from six months to five years to develop before it requires treatment. The wide range here is influenced by the conditions in a person's mouth, including their hygiene, diet, and genetic factors. The area where the cavity is forming can also influence the rate at which it develops.

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How long is too long to wait to get a filling?

If you wait too long and the tooth is left unprotected for more than 3 days, our dentists may have to place a dental crown. We care about your oral health and will ultimately determine what is best for you.

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Can you wait 6 months for a filling?

Some people have softer tooth enamel than others, making it easier for bacteria or acid to penetrate the tooth. On average, as a broad timeline, it can take anywhere from six months to four or five years before a cavity needs treatment.

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When is it too late to reverse a cavity?

In most cases, by the time you notice the symptoms of tooth decay, it will be too late to reverse the damage with natural methods. You will need to consult your dentist to prevent the damage from spreading to other areas of the tooth.

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What happens if you leave a cavity for 6 months?

The hole can eventually reach the layer of dentin beneath your enamel, causing severe pain and sensitivity. The cavity can also extend to the root of your tooth, causing an infection. If the infection is left untreated, it can lead to abscesses and bone loss, and in rare cases, it may become life-threatening.

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How do you know if a cavity is getting worse?

As the decay gets larger, it may cause signs and symptoms such as:
  1. Toothache, spontaneous pain or pain that occurs without any apparent cause.
  2. Tooth sensitivity.
  3. Mild to sharp pain when eating or drinking something sweet, hot or cold.
  4. Visible holes or pits in your teeth.

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How long will 3 cavities take to fill?

The maximum time required for filling a moderate cavity doesn't exceed 40 minutes per tooth. Therefore if you have three intermediate holes, expect to spend about a couple of hours at the dentist's office to restore your tooth to full functionality with dental fillings.

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How far can cavities spread?

Cavities can't spread to other teeth, but they certainly have an impact on the rest of your mouth. First of all, the conditions that create a cavity on one tooth certainly can develop into cavities on your other teeth.

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Is 4 cavities a lot?

In general, adults develop an average of three cavities during their lifetimes. This means that the average adult has three or four fillings in their mouth. Some patients end up with ten or more fillings depending on how well they care for their teeth.

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Can you brush away cavities?

Can cavities go away with brushing? A common question we receive from children and parents is, “can you brush away a cavity?” Once a cavity is fully formed in the tooth, unfortunately, it's impossible to just improve your brushing and make it go away.

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Can you delay a cavity from getting worse?

Fluoride is a mineral that can prevent tooth decay from progressing. It can even reverse, or stop, early tooth decay.

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Why would a dentist not fill a cavity?

What kind of cavity doesn't need to be filled? If you have a very small cavity limited to the enamel (or outer layer) of your tooth, you may not need to get a filling. This is especially true if you have had very few cavities in the past and practice good oral hygiene.

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Can I live with cavities?

Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Untreated cavities can lead to abscess (a severe infection) under the gums which can spread to other parts of the body and have serious, and in rare cases fatal, results.

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What happens if you don't fill a small cavity?

Left untreated, a cavity can result in an abscessed tooth. If allowed to get this far, a cavity will result in loss of tooth structure and become more easily breakable. Abscessed teeth typically need root canals in order to save them.

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What is the late stage of a cavity?

Abscess Formation‌

In this final stage of tooth decay, bacteria get inside the decaying pulp, which typically leads to infection. Eventually, an abscess may form at the bottom of your tooth, causing severe pain that can spread to the rest of your mouth, gums, face, and jaw.

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How long does it take for a cavity to turn into a root canal?

It can take as long as five years from the time a cavity begins to develop to when the tooth needs treatment to prevent the cavity from spreading further.

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Can a dentist stop a cavity from getting worse?

A Fluoride Treatment Will Mitigate the Cavity's Progression

Fluoride remineralizes enamel to make teeth as strong as possible. Such fortified teeth are that much more resistant to cavities. In some cases, pinpointing a cavity in the early stages and applying a fluoride treatment will reverse the decay.

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