The answers to both questions are decay and infection. If cavities -- also known as dental caries -- are not filled, the area of decay is likely to expand. The decay may even infiltrate the inner portions of the tooth and cause infection to spread throughout the mouth or bloodstream.
For these reasons, it's important that you have any cavity filled promptly. But you don’t have to be stuck with an obvious and unsightly silver, or amalgam, filling. Omni Dental offers composite fillings made of a durable, tooth-colored material. These fillings help to stop decay, and they're practically invisible.