Dental Fillings in Agoura Hills, CA

Do I Need a Dental Filling?

While it’s not always possible to diagnose tooth decay on your own, we can easily screen for cavities by visually examining your teeth and taking diagnostic digital X-rays. These images allow us to see inside and between your teeth, where cavities often develop first.

It’s important to note that not all cavities are painful or visible to the naked eye. But if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, you might have an active cavity:

• Tooth Sensitivity: If one tooth is noticeably more sensitive than others, or it’s hypersensitive to hot temperatures and sweet foods, you may have a cavity.
• Toothache or Sharp Tooth Pain: Do you feel an obvious sharp or painful sensation when you bite down on your tooth? Be sure to let us know.
• Broken or Deteriorating Tooth Enamel: Larger areas of tooth decay tend to cause the tooth to break apart with daily use. Avoid chewing on this tooth altogether until we can see you for an exam.
• Old Dental Fillings: As dental fillings age, it’s fairly common for them to develop open margins where new bacteria or plaque can seep in between the filling and your tooth. You may feel a rough edge with your tongue.
• A Hole in Your tooth: Cavities often collect food when you eat or may create a large enough opening that it’s visible to the naked eye.

By scheduling regular checkups with our Agoura Hills dentist, we can intercept cavities while they’re smaller and more conservative to treat. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to treat active tooth decay, the greater the risk there is that it will evolve into an abscessed tooth or dental emergency.