Spot decay before it gets serious
When you visit for a check-up, your dentist will use a small inspection mirror to assess the surface of your teeth, looking for signs of decay or little cracks and fissures. They will let you know as soon as they see anything that might require treatment, and a small filling is a lasting preventative solution that far outweighs a root canal treatment, which can be the result of extensive decay. By closing up the gap, your dentist is preventing bacteria from getting in and preserving your tooth in the least invasive way.