What happens if you don't treat a cavity for years?

Cavities don't go away on their own, and if you don't treat them in time, they can spread to the entire surface of the tooth and then to other teeth. Cavities tend to widen and deepen, making teeth brittle and more likely to crack or break. Cavities are nothing more than cavities caused by a buildup of bacteria. If left untreated for too long, it can expose the most sensitive parts of the teeth and cause significant pain.

You definitely don't want to wait to treat pulp cavities because if left untreated, it can continue to progress. In fact, once the cavity reaches the pulp, it will begin to progress through the stages of a tooth abscess. In short, how long you can leave a cavity untreated will depend on what stage of tooth decay you are in. Tooth decay is a common dental problem that can usually be resolved with a simple dental procedure, such as a filling.

Without treatment, tooth decay will continue to grow over time, progressively destroying more of the tooth. If the nerve in the tooth becomes infected with decay, the nerve will need to be treated as well as the decayed parts of the tooth. Most initial cavities don't hurt or have any other symptoms and may simply look like discolored or brown to black spots on the tooth. Since the cavity can be reversed, it doesn't hurt to wait before treating it with a filling.

Having a cavity and having to go to the dentist may seem unpleasant, but it's important to treat it once detected to avoid further cavities and dental complications. Cavities found in the pulp tend to be very large in size and may or may not cause a large hole in the tooth. Dentin cavities should be treated as soon as possible, as they are irreversible and the treatment of choice is cavity filling. As soon as a cavity forms, more food begins to be trapped and more acids are produced, and a vicious cycle forms that causes cavities and other symptoms, such as tenderness and toothache, to deepen.

However, there are times when your dentist may recommend that you be treated for cavities, for example, if you are at high risk of tooth decay.