“Can I wait a month to fill a cavity?”
I am a 29 year old female. I want to know if I can wait a month to fill a cavity?
8 Answers
Yes
The sooner you can treat decay, the better the prognosis. If you wait-you could risk needing a root canal or more involved procedures to save your tooth! The sooner the better!
Dear Reader,
Can you wait a month to fill a cavity? The answer is: I don't know. If it's a small to medium-sized cavity, you might be able to wait a month. But, if it's deep and near the nerve, I would get it treated asap. Remember that while a cavity is a hole in the tooth, it's caused by bacteria! It's an infection and it will continue to progress and get worse with time. If it contacts the pulp ("nerve"), you'll need more than a filling. We're talking about a root canal and crown or extracting the tooth. I suggest you ask your dentist about the severity of your cavity and if you can wait. If you don't have a dentist, I'd visit one and have the tooth evaluated.
Hope this helps,
Steven Chamish, DDS
Can you wait a month to fill a cavity? The answer is: I don't know. If it's a small to medium-sized cavity, you might be able to wait a month. But, if it's deep and near the nerve, I would get it treated asap. Remember that while a cavity is a hole in the tooth, it's caused by bacteria! It's an infection and it will continue to progress and get worse with time. If it contacts the pulp ("nerve"), you'll need more than a filling. We're talking about a root canal and crown or extracting the tooth. I suggest you ask your dentist about the severity of your cavity and if you can wait. If you don't have a dentist, I'd visit one and have the tooth evaluated.
Hope this helps,
Steven Chamish, DDS
Yes. Dental cavities progress slowly. If you don't feel sensitivity, pain, or food impact, you may wait even a few months. However, unless you have any good reason, it is better to fix as soon as possible, because cavities won't go away, it will getting bigger, will be more difficult to fix, and will cost more money.
It depends upon the size of the cavity and whether or not you have any symptoms, meaning sensitivity to heat , cold or chewing. If you have a small cavity and you have no symptoms, there should be no problem waiting for a month or so. if you have a large cavity or if you are already experiencing some symptoms, then get it taken care of as soon as possible.
It depends on the size of the cavity. If it is near the pulp and has symptoms, I would not. But if it's small and not half way through the dentist, you may have some time.
Decay gets larger about .5 mm every 6 months, the sooner you do it the shallower your filling and less chances of being sensitive.
If you are asymptomatic it may be ok to wait but just keep in mind that decay doesn't stop growing and the smaller it is, the easier it will be for you during and after treatment.
