Treatment

After determining the decay has not yet passed through the enamel into the dentin, a dentist may simply treat the decay with fluoride and sealant. He will note the incipient decay on his charts for monitoring. The tooth will often remineralize in this situation. The advantage to this approach is that you may avoid having to have a tooth drilled and filled. The disadvantage is that the tooth may not remineralize. In this case he would have to drill out more tooth structure in the future as the decay will have spread.

If a dentist determines the decay has passed into your dentin, he will elect to drill it out. He will fill it in order to avoid the risk of the caries spreading deeper into your tooth.

Without drilling into the tooth, it can be extremely difficult to determine if the decay has reached the dentin. This further explains why you may get slightly differing diagnoses from one dentist to another. Any time a dentist recommends remineralization, it is crucial that he monitors the incipient decay very closely. You must visit the dentist every 6 months to make sure cavities don’t progress.

Your dentist should be communicating with you and explaining his diagnosis as well as your treatment options. If you are confused about your diagnosis, don’t be afraid to ask your dentist what’s going on. If you are informed on your treatment it will be much easier to trust your dentist. It will also help you to maintain a positive relationship with your dentist and his office.