Treatment Guide
Tooth Cavities and Fillings: Types, Cost and Why Waiting Costs More
Tooth decay is the most common disease on earth and the one people most often postpone treating — because in its early stages it does not hurt. That is precisely what makes it dangerous. By the time a cavity hurts, the small treatment window has usually closed.
How decay actually happens
There is no worm involved, despite the common name for it. Decay is a chemical process: bacteria in the mouth turn dietary sugars and starches into acid, and that acid dissolves minerals out of the enamel.
This acid attack begins each time you eat something sweet or starchy and lasts roughly 20–30 minutes. Saliva then neutralises it and returns some minerals to the surface. Trouble begins when attacks come so often that repair never catches up — damage accumulates and eventually a hole forms.
The four stages
- White spot: minerals are leaving the enamel but no hole has formed. This is the only reversible stage — fluoride, good cleaning and less frequent sugar can arrest it.
- Cavity in enamel: the surface has broken. Still no pain, but it will not repair itself. A filling here is the simplest and cheapest it will ever be.
- Into the dentine: sensitivity to cold, heat and sweet appears. Decay now spreads faster, because dentine is softer than enamel.
- Into the pulp: severe, spontaneous pain begins. A filling is no longer enough and root canal treatment becomes necessary.
In one line: waiting for pain is the decision that turns a small treatment into a large one.
How painless cavities are found
This is why six-monthly check-ups are worth the trouble. Many cavities form where they simply cannot be seen — between two teeth, or underneath an old filling. Only an examination and, where needed, an X-ray will find them.
Signs worth acting on:
- A dark or brown spot on a tooth
- Brief sensitivity to sweet, cold or hot
- Food repeatedly packing between the same two teeth — often the first sign of decay between them
- A rough edge or dip you can feel with your tongue
- Persistent bad breath
Filling materials
Composite (tooth-coloured)
The most common choice today. It matches tooth colour, bonds chemically to the tooth, is strong enough for chewing surfaces, and contains no mercury.
Glass ionomer (GIC)
Releases fluoride slowly, which keeps strengthening the surrounding tooth. That makes it a good choice for children's teeth, for cavities near the gum line, and where moisture is hard to control. It is less strong than composite, so it is used less on heavy chewing surfaces.
Silver amalgam
Very durable, but dark in appearance and it requires more healthy tooth to be cut away to hold it in place. Composite has largely replaced it.
What a filling appointment involves
- Examination — and an X-ray where needed, to check the decay has not reached the nerve.
- Numbing — for deeper cavities. Very small ones often need none.
- Removing the decay — only the damaged part; healthy tooth is preserved wherever possible.
- Filling and shaping — the material is placed in layers, hardened, and shaped to restore the natural contour.
- Checking the bite and polishing — an essential step. A filling left even slightly high will make that tooth sore.
Most fillings are completed in a single short visit.
Cost in Muzaffarpur
- Consultation: ₹200 — free for patients in need and at health camps
- X-ray (IOPA / RVG): ₹100
- Child's filling: from ₹200
- Adult filling: ₹700 to ₹1,000, depending on material and tooth
After a filling
- Do not chew until the numbness wears off — biting the lip or cheek is very common
- Mild sensitivity for a few days is normal and settles on its own
- If the tooth feels "high" when you bite, come back — it takes minutes to adjust
- Avoid very hard foods on a newly filled tooth
- The margin of a filling is where new decay starts — clean there carefully
Noticed a dark spot or a twinge of sensitivity? Don't wait for pain — this is the moment when treatment is smallest and cheapest. Learn about our tooth-coloured fillings or book a check-up at Janata Dental Clinic, Muzaffarpur — call 95726 63116.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a cavity heal on its own?
Only at the very earliest stage. While decay is still a white spot on the enamel with no hole formed, fluoride and better cleaning can arrest and partially reverse it. Once a hole has formed, it never heals — teeth have no mechanism to rebuild lost structure. At that point a filling is the only option.
My cavity doesn't hurt. Does it still need a filling?
Yes, and this is the most important point. Pain begins only when decay approaches the nerve, so pain is a late signal, not an early one. A painless cavity is treated with a simple filling; the same tooth left until it hurts usually needs a root canal instead.
What is the difference between composite and GIC fillings?
Composite is a strong tooth-coloured material that bonds to the tooth and suits chewing surfaces and front teeth. GIC is slightly less strong but releases fluoride over time, which makes it a better choice for children's teeth and for cavities near the gum line.
How much does a filling cost in Muzaffarpur?
At Janata Dental Clinic a child's filling starts at ₹200, and an adult filling ranges from ₹700 to ₹1,000 depending on the material and the tooth. For comparison, a root canal on the same tooth costs ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 — which is why treating decay early is far cheaper.