A lot of patients ask if cavities are left untreated can they heal on their own? If you were to go through with treatment, what procedures would this include?

Cavities Cannot Heal Without Treatment

Generally speaking if cavities have not been treatment they will not heal by themselves and will become more severe. If left untreated the cavity will get bigger and in serious cases you can lose the whole tooth.

Types of Treatment

Depending on the severity of the cavity there are different treatments. You will have to go through a dental examination first so the dentist can assess the severity of the cavity. In most cases the dentist will remove the decayed tissues and then fill the area with filling materials.

If the decay is very serious and has already reached the dentin and manifested into pulpitis or periapical periodontitis then root canal treatment will need to be carried out. In this type of case the decayed pulp tissue will need to be removed and the dental chamber will need to be disinfected before it can be filled. In cases where the tooth’s dental nerve is already dead, fractured, no longer has adequate bone support or cannot be restored then the tooth will have to be extracted.   

Therefore, patients should never assume cavities will heal on their own, so it’s advised as soon as you suspect you have a cavity then make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible. You wouldn’t want to leave it for too long and end up losing the tooth.