Do Cavities Between Teeth at Sinsa Station Dental Clinic Have to Be Treated with an Inlay? Resin Is Also an Option

“The upper left feels like it’s sunken in.”

Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

A male patient in his 30s said.

Date of imaging: 250804

“An old filling on my upper left molar feels like it came out.

It also catches when I use floss.

It feels like there’s a hole.”

Just from hearing the patient’s description, I could picture the situation roughly.

There was a high chance that a cavity had recurred, or that a previously placed restoration had fallen out, leaving a gap.

Date of imaging: 250804

But I don’t just look at one area and move on.

Because cavities are rarely like a regular customer who comes to just one place... Most of the time, they bring friends along too😭

Hidden cavities and gum problems Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

After taking panoramic and intraoral photos, as expected, the problem was not limited to one area.

Imaging: 250804

Not only the upper left molar you mentioned (#26), but interproximal cavities were also visible in other molars (#16, 14, 24, 35, 46), and there were also worn depressions near the gumline on the root surfaces (cervical abrasion).

Date of imaging: 250804

The gum condition also showed signs of chronic periodontitis, so scaling was needed, and overall, it was a situation requiring “partial cavity treatment + full-mouth management.”

Date of imaging: 250804

A less aggressive resin treatment for longer-lasting teeth Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

When a cavity is between teeth, textbooks say to diagnose it as an “inlay.”

Of course, inlays are strong and durable, but to achieve the material’s retention, it’s unavoidable to remove a wide area, even from healthy tooth structure....😭

In cases like this, I first recommend “less invasive resin treatment.”

Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

Resin allows us to remove only the necessary area, and because healthy tooth structure does not need to be removed, it can help extend the life of the tooth.

The treatment plan for this patient was as follows^^

1️⃣ Resin treatment for the most uncomfortable upper left molar

2️⃣ Sequential resin treatment for the remaining cavities

3️⃣ Resin treatment for the worn area near the root

4️⃣ Scaling and gum care at the same time

Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

Delicately removing only what is needed Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

Preserving healthy tooth structure while removing only the cavity requires excellent fingertip sensitivity.

Since I carefully remove only the decayed area, I tend to spend quite a bit of time on it.

(Please understand if it takes some time 🙏🏻)

Date of imaging: 250804

I layered resin matched to the tooth color and translucency into the removed space, then smoothed the surface so that floss would pass through smoothly.

With this, the discomfort of “something getting caught between the teeth” disappears completely^^

“Floss goes in smoothly now.”

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The patient smiled while looking in the mirror after treatment.

“Ah, floss goes in smoothly now. I floss every day, but it wouldn’t go in, so it was really uncomfortable. I feel so relieved now~”

It may seem minor, but this was the moment when a small daily discomfort felt by the patient every day disappeared.

Date of imaging: 250804

I told the patient this.

“Today we only treated one area, but if we organize the rest in order, you’ll be able to use your teeth much more healthily for a much longer time.

And going forward, our goal is to prevent cavities before they develop.😊”

Natural teeth last longer when they are disturbed less Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

Implants and prosthetics are excellent treatments, but nothing is better than your natural teeth. So whenever I treat teeth, I always think like this.

“How much can this treatment extend the life of this tooth?”

Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

Resin may be less strong and less wear-resistant than an inlay, but it requires far less tooth reduction, and if retreatment is needed, the loss is also smaller.

That’s why, even when fixing a small cavity, I plan so that the tooth can last for more than 10 years. ㅎㅎ

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When I treat cavities, I follow the principle of “less drilling, longer use.”

Sinsa Station Dental Clinic

Our philosophy at Sinsa Station Dental Clinic is to treat only as much as needed, but to do so firmly and effectively, so that patients can chew and smile comfortably.

This has been Director Sohyunsoo. Thank you.

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• Depending on the individual, symptoms such as sensitivity, foreign-body sensation, or discomfort when biting may appear temporarily, and in rare cases, additional treatment may be necessary.

Treatment period: 250804 - 250804

Interproximal cavities at Sinsa Station Dental Clinic Have to be treated with an inlay? Resin is also possible