I hear you, but honestly, I’ve had a couple of those “hidden” spots before and waited it out. One did get worse, but another never changed for years. I guess it depends on how much you trust your dentist’s call. I’m not a fan of drilling unless it’s really necessary.
Waiting it out can work sometimes, but how do you know for sure which spots are really stable and which ones are just biding their time? I get the hesitation with drilling—nobody wants unnecessary work. But I’ve seen cases where what looked like a “small” hidden cavity on x-rays suddenly turned into a bigger problem, and then it’s not just a filling, it’s a crown or worse.
Have you ever had a dentist do those newer diagnostic tests, like transillumination or laser cavity detection? They can sometimes catch whether the spot is active or not. I’m curious if that would make you feel more confident about waiting versus treating.
I do think remineralization works for some early spots, especially if you’re on top of your hygiene and diet. But if the enamel’s already broken, I’d be nervous about just watching it. Honestly, I’d rather have a tiny filling now than a root canal later... but yeah, it’s a tough call.
That “wait and see” approach can be nerve-wracking, right? I totally get the anxiety around drilling—nobody’s signing up for extra dental work if they can help it. But I’ve seen those sneaky little spots on x-rays too, where you blink and suddenly it’s a full-blown mess. It’s like your tooth’s playing hide and seek, and you’re losing.
Those newer tools—transillumination, laser cavity detection—are actually pretty cool for figuring out if a spot’s just chilling or actively causing trouble. I’ve used them with patients who are on the fence about treating something small, and it really helps take some of the guesswork out. Not perfect, but better than just crossing your fingers.
Honestly, if the enamel’s still intact and you’re religious about brushing, flossing, and cutting back on sugar, there’s hope for remineralizing early spots. But once there’s a hole, I’m with you—waiting feels risky. I’ve seen folks regret not filling sooner when it turns into a bigger (and more expensive) problem down the road. That said, I totally respect wanting to avoid unnecessary fillings. It’s always a balancing act.
I’ve been down both roads—tried to remineralize a tiny spot with prescription toothpaste, but it still ended up needing a filling a year later. Honestly, I wish I’d just taken care of it sooner. The stress of waiting wasn’t worth it for me.
