Cavity Treatment
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Cavity Treatment
歯科ハミール
A cavity is a common condition caused by acid produced by bacteria hiding in the mouth (cavity-causing bacteria), which gradually dissolves the tooth. Caught at a very early stage, correct care can hold it in check, but once it has progressed far enough to open a hole, it will never heal on its own.
To keep using your own precious teeth for a long time, it’s important to start treatment early, before the damage reaches the nerve. If you’re worried about a cavity in Handa, please come in for a consultation before the pain starts.
What kind of condition is a cavity?
A cavity is a common condition caused by acid produced by bacteria hiding in the mouth (cavity-causing bacteria), which gradually dissolves the tooth. Caught at a very early stage, correct care can hold it in check, but once it has progressed far enough to open a hole, it will never heal on its own. To keep using your own precious teeth for a long time, it’s important to start treatment early, before the damage reaches the nerve. If you’re worried about a cavity in Handa, please come in for a consultation before the pain starts.
How cavities progress, and their symptoms
When a cavity first appears, minerals begin leaching from the tooth’s surface (the enamel), causing only a cloudy white or brownish discoloration, with almost no symptoms like pain. At this stage, many people notice nothing more than mild sensitivity to cold and let it go without much thought.
But if it’s left untreated and the infection spreads to the dentin underneath, or even to the nerve (pulp), you’ll get sharp, throbbing pain even when you’re doing nothing at all. Many patients who rush to our Handa clinic saying “the pain kept me up all night” have, in fact, let their cavity progress to this stage. Once it reaches this point, natural healing is no longer possible, and major treatment is needed — removing a large area of infected tooth and treating the nerve.
If you keep enduring the pain without treatment, it can temporarily disappear once the nerve dies. But that doesn’t mean it has healed — pus will build up at the root tip, and extraction may eventually become necessary. Please start cavity treatment at 歯科ハミール in Handa before it’s too late and you lose the tooth.
4 causes of cavities
Cavities are caused by the following four factors overlapping.
Bacteria hiding in the mouth
An enormous number of resident bacteria live in the mouth. Among them, specific ones, led by “Streptococcus mutans,” are the direct cause of cavities.
Sugar in food
Cavity-causing bacteria feed on the “sugar” in the food and drink we consume and produce acid. This acid dissolves the calcium in your teeth.
Time spent in the mouth
The longer food debris and sugar stay in your mouth, the longer cavity-causing bacteria keep producing acid, sharply raising the risk of your teeth dissolving.
Your natural tooth quality
Your “tooth quality” — the natural strength of your enamel, and the amount and composition of your saliva — varies from person to person, which is why some people are more prone to cavities than others.
Types of cavities (by stage)
Cavities are classified into five stages, C0 through C4, according to how far they’ve progressed.
C0
This is an early-stage cavity (a tooth to keep watching). No hole has formed yet — the surface has just turned cloudy white or a light brown. At this stage, no drilling is needed; correct brushing plus fluoride application at the clinic can be expected to restore the tooth to its original healthy state (remineralization).
C1
This is when the tooth’s outermost enamel has dissolved and a small hole has formed. It’s still far from the nerve, so there’s no pain yet, but left untreated it will definitely keep progressing. Treatment only requires removing the minimum amount of infected tooth and filling it with a material such as white resin (composite resin).
C2
This is when the cavity has progressed to the “dentin” beneath the enamel. Because dentin readily transmits stimuli to the nerve, symptoms like a “twinge” or “pain” start to appear when you drink something cold or eat something sweet. After removing the decayed portion, treatment requires taking an impression and fitting a filling (inlay), among other steps.
C3
This is when the cavity’s hole has gone deep and bacteria have infected the nerve (pulp). You’ll feel sensitivity to heat, or sharp, throbbing pain even when you’re doing nothing at all. At this stage, “root canal treatment” is needed first — removing the infected nerve and disinfecting inside the root canal — before a post is placed and a crown fitted.
C4
This is the most severe state, where the crown portion has completely collapsed and only the root remains. Because the nerve has already died, you may feel no pain at times, but once pus builds up at the root tip, it can trigger sharp pain and strong bad breath again. Since the tooth is difficult to save, extraction is usually necessary, after which chewing function must be restored with a denture, implant, or similar option.
The flow of cavity treatment
Booking
Please book an appointment first. Feel free to reach our Handa clinic anytime through online booking, LINE, or by phone.
Oral exam
We use X-rays and specialized instruments to accurately check how far the cavity has progressed and the condition of the tooth root.
Explaining the treatment plan
Based on the exam results, we’ll explain your mouth’s condition, the treatment approach going forward, and your options, in plain, easy-to-follow terms.
Removing the decay
We remove the infected, decayed portion with care. If it’s severe enough to have reached the nerve, we also disinfect the root at the same time.
Fitting a filling or crown
Depending on the size and condition of the area removed, we fit the most suitable filling (inlay) or crown (full crown).
Treatment complete, and maintenance
After treatment, we support you with regular maintenance visits and cleanings to help prevent another cavity.
Cost of cavity treatment
The first visit costs roughly ¥4,000 under insurance (30% co-pay) as a guideline. Costs for follow-up visits vary depending on how far the cavity has progressed.
Early-stage cavity
¥3,000–6,000or so
(30% co-pay estimate)
Moderate cavity
¥3,000–10,000or so
(30% co-pay estimate)
If you choose out-of-pocket treatment (self-pay) such as ceramic, which looks more natural and lasts longer, a separate, set fee applies.
Severe cavity
¥7,000–30,000or so
(30% co-pay estimate)
Because nerve treatment is required, the number of follow-up visits increases. A separate fee applies if you’d like out-of-pocket treatment such as a ceramic crown or an implant after extraction.
About insured treatment and out-of-pocket treatment
When treating a cavity at 歯科ハミール in Handa, you can choose between “insured treatment,” which uses health insurance, and “out-of-pocket treatment (self-pay treatment),” which is fully paid by you. Basic treatment such as drilling and filling is covered by insurance, and generally you only need to pay 30% of the cost.
That said, insured treatment aims to “relieve pain and restore minimum chewing function,” and the materials and methods available are limited by national regulation. If you’re looking for higher-quality treatment that puts more weight on appearance and function — for example, “I’d like a silver filling that’s less noticeable,” “I’d like to lower the risk of the cavity recurring,” or “I’d like to choose a more durable material” — we recommend considering out-of-pocket treatment.
Common examples of insured treatment
Removing decay, nerve treatment, tooth extraction, filling with a silver alloy or composite resin (a dental resin material), insurance-covered dentures, and more
Common examples of out-of-pocket treatment
Attractive ceramic fillings and crowns, implant treatment to replace a missing tooth, comfortable metal-based or clasp-free dentures, and more
How to prevent cavities
Taking the right steps every day against the four factors that cause cavities (bacteria, sugar, time, and tooth quality) is the most effective way to prevent them.
- Brush well and promptly after every meal to clear buildup from your mouth.
- Use dental floss or an interdental brush to properly clean the buildup a toothbrush can’t reach.
- To shorten how long your mouth stays acidic, avoid dragging out meals for a long time or snacking on sweets frequently.
- Get regular checkups and cleanings at a dental clinic in Handa, and strengthen your tooth surfaces with high-concentration fluoride application.
- To prevent transmitting cavity-causing bacteria, avoid mouth-to-mouth feeding of infants and toddlers or sharing the same spoon with them.
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