Introduction
At Iqaluit Dental Clinic, we are aware of the staggering number of patients who have cavity-related issues. In Canada, around 2 million people suffer from untreated coronal cavities. A lot of patients are curious about the time it takes to fill up those cavities. The answer is complicated and depends on many factors. Let’s figure it out.
The Details
1. Size of the cavity –
The time it takes to fill a cavity depends primarily on the size of the cavity. Small cavities may be filed within less than half an hour while large cavities may require more than an hour to be fixed. The time for filing depends on the size of the cavity since the larger the activity, the more tooth decay needs to be removed and more filling material is required. Smaller cavities take less time to be cleaned and filled.
Large cavities usually require around 30 to 45 minutes to be filled and that session includes the amount of time the dentist needs to remove the decay and proportionally more time is needed to fill it up. While small cavities usually take less than 20 minutes to be filled, it is visibly less apparent and hence harder to detect. Small cavities usually look like a small brown circle and feel soft to the touch.
2. Number of surfaces of a cavity filling –
If the cavity has more surfaces that need to be filled, it will take more time to be filled in. More surfaces require the use of additional or completely different sets of equipment. If it’s a single surface cavity, the dentist would typically take around 20 minutes to fill it back in. It’s as simple as removing tooth decay from a single surface and filling it back up.
With multiple surfaces, more effort and tools are required. You’d need to spend 40 minutes or more for cavities with multiple surfaces. In this process, the dentist would need to use a matrix band in between your teeth so that two teeth with cavities don’t get bonded together. Otherwise, it puts excess pressure on both teeth and eliminates the possibility of flossing.
3. Complications –
Sometimes, unpredictable complications in the middle of the procedure can also extend the time required for the filing. For instance, if the decay is close to a tooth nerve, your dentist needs to slow down significantly and be more careful to keep the nerve unharmed. If they hit the nerve, it would require a root canal procedure. Apart from that, there may be other complications where the patient takes more time to get numb in the affected area. That would require the dentist and you to wait around till novocaine kicks.
Conclusion
At Iqaluit Dental Clinic, we suggest that you maintain a strict dental hygiene regime and visit the dentist at least twice a year to avoid cavities. If you have a dental cavity, you can get it checked at the dentist so that the cavity can be treated and filled to restore your smile and oral health.
