General dentistry

Cavity treatment

Cavity treatment

“A cavity is an infectious disease caused by bacteria in the mouth.”

Bacteria on the tooth surface break down sugar and starch, producing acid,
and the tooth is damaged starting from its surface.
This is called dental caries, or a cavity. Because a cavity is a progressive lesion,
finding it early and having it treated appropriately is important.

  • Treatment time

    30 ~ 60 minutes

  • Anesthesia

    Local anesthesia

  • Number of visits

    1 ~ 2 visits

  • Average duration

    1 ~ 7 days

  • Pain & bleeding

    None

Cavity treatment
is better done early.

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Cavity treatment —
have you been putting it off because
the procedure or the cost worries you?

The longer cavity treatment is delayed out of worry about pain or cost,
the more time and money the treatment tends to take.

At D-day Dental Clinic, we work to keep discomfort as low as we can
and to suggest a treatment plan that fits your situation at a reasonable cost.

Depending on how far the decay has progressed,
treatment is done stage by stage.

Stages of cavity treatment

  • 01

    Enamel cavity

    Composite filling

  • 02

    Dentin cavity

    Composite filling or an inlay, depending on the size, depth and location of the cavity

  • 03

    Pulp

    Decay has reached the tooth nerve
    Root canal treatment, then a crown

  • 04

    Root apex

    Decay has spread to the tooth root
    Extraction may be considered

Types of cavity treatment

Composite filling
For an early-stage enamel cavity, the decayed area is removed
and the tooth is filled with composite resin, a dental filling material.

Its color is almost the same as a natural tooth, so it is the most commonly used material, but it
shrinks as it sets and is less strong than an inlay.

Inlay
This is chosen when the decay has gone further and reached the dentin
but root canal treatment is not needed.

A composite filling is placed directly into the area where the decay was removed, while
an inlay is made in advance from an impression and then bonded in — an indirect filling.
Because it is made in advance, it is more precise than a composite filling and its physical properties are also better.

Q&A

Why does the diagnosis
differ from clinic to clinic?
Diagnoses differ because of arrested caries.

Saliva contains calcium ions, so an area that decay has temporarily eroded can recover.
This is called remineralization, and what it leaves behind on the tooth, much like a scar, is arrested caries.
Whether treatment is needed therefore depends on whether the decay is active or arrested.

D-day clinic information

D-DAY Contact

02.568.2877

Address

10F, Hwanam Building, 337 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 강남구 테헤란로 337 화남빌딩 10F) — in front of Exit 6, Seolleung Station

Clinic hours

  • Mon / Thu / Fri
    10:00 ~ 19:00
    Saturday
    10:00 ~ 14:00
  • Tue / Wed
    10:00 ~ 21:00
    Lunch break
    13:00 ~ 14:00

*Saturday: open through lunch, no lunch break.

*Closed on Sundays.

*Public holiday hours are announced separately.

Written and medically reviewed by

Oh Tae-hoon Director, D-day Dental Clinic

This treatment guide was written and medically reviewed by Oh Tae-hoon, Director of D-day Dental Clinic. Dr. Oh is a board-certified specialist in Integrated Dentistry (통합치의학과) certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, holds a master's degree in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from Korea University, and formerly served as Director of Conservative Dentistry at Perfect Dental Clinic.

  • Board-certified specialist in Integrated Dentistry (통합치의학과), certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare
  • Master's degree in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Korea University
  • Full member, America Acad emy of Implant Dentistry
  • Full member, Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
  • Full member, Korean Academy of Integrated Dentistry
Last reviewed 2026. 09. 03. · Written and medically reviewed by Oh Tae-hoon, Director