A smile can be the most eye-catching feature of a face. With dentistry's many
advances, you no longer have to settle for stained, chipped, or misshapen teeth.
You have choices that can help you smile with confidence. Talk to the doctor
about the options most suitable for you, what your expectations are, and the
dental fees involved.
If you're missing one or more teeth,
you may notice a difference in chewing and speaking. A bridge
may be used to replace missing teeth, help maintain the shape
of your face, and alleviate the stress in your bite.
There are two types of tooth replacement: fixed bridge
and implant.
A fixed bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth,
looks great, and literally bridges the gap where one or more
teeth may have been. The restoration can be made from gold,
alloys, porcelain or a combination of these materials and
is bonded onto surrounding teeth for support.
An implant attaches artificial teeth directly to the jaw
under the gum tissue. A small titanium fixture may be used
to surgically place the implant in the upper or lower jawbone
to replace the root of your missing tooth and provide an
anchor for a crown.
The success of any bridge or implant depends on its foundation "the
other teeth, gums, or bone to which it is attached. So it's
very important to keep your remaining teeth, gums, and jaw
healthy and strong.
A crown covers a tooth and restores
it to its normal shape and size. A crown can make your tooth
stronger and improve its appearance. It can cover and support
a tooth that has a large filling. It can be used to attach
a bridge, prevent a weak or brittle tooth from breaking,
or restore one that's already broken. A crown is a good way
to cover teeth that are discolored, badly shaped, or out
of position. Crowns are also used to cover dental implants.
A crown may be made of gold or porcelain. It is made to
fit the tooth precisely. It looks somewhat like a thimble
and is cemented onto the prepared tooth.
If the doctor recommends
a crown, it's probably to correct one of these conditions.
The doctor's primary aim, like yours, is to help you keep
your teeth healthy and your smile bright.
There are times when it is necessary
to remove a tooth. Sometimes a baby tooth has long or misshapen
roots that prevent it from falling out and the tooth must
be removed to make way for the permanent tooth to erupt.
At other times, a tooth may have so much decay that it puts
the surrounding teeth and jaw at risk of decay, so the doctor
may recommend removal and replacement with a bridge or implant.
Infection, orthodontic correction, or problems with a wisdom
tooth can also require removal of a tooth.
When it is determined that a tooth needs to be removed,
the dentist may extract the tooth during a regular checkup
or the dentist may request another visit for this procedure.
While the procedure is typically very quick, it is important
to share any concerns or preferences for sedation that you
may have.
Restoring
Your Smile: Dental Filling Choices
Advances in modern dental materials
and techniques have provided new ways to create more pleasing,
natural-looking smiles. As a result, dentists and patients
have several choices when it comes to selecting materials
used to repair missing, worn, damaged, or decayed teeth.
Traditional dental restoratives include gold, porcelain,
and composite. The strength and durability of traditional
dental materials continue to make them useful for situations
where restored teeth must withstand extreme forces that result
from chewing, such as in the back of the mouth.
Newer dental restoratives include ceramic and plastic compounds
that mimic the appearance of natural teeth. These compounds,
often called composite resins, are often used on the front
teeth where a natural appearance is important. They can be
used on the back teeth as well depending on the location
and extent of the tooth decay. Composite resins are usually
more costly than the older amalgam fillings.
What's right for me?
Several factors influence the performance, durability, longevity
and expense of dental restorations. These factors include:
the components used in the filling material; the amount of
tooth structure remaining; where and how the filling is placed;
the chewing load that the tooth will have to bear; and the
length and number of visits needed to prepare and adjust
the restored tooth.
With so many choices, how do you know what's right for you?
The ultimate decision about what to
use is best determined by the patient in consultation with
the dentist. Before your treatment begins, discuss the options
with the doctor. To help you prepare for this discussion
it is helpful to understand the two basic types of dental
restorations: direct and indirect.
Direct restorations are
fillings placed immediately into a prepared cavity in a single
visit. They include dental amalgam, glass ionomers, resin
ionomers and composite (resin) fillings. The dentist prepares
the tooth, places the filling and adjusts it during one appointment.
Indirect restorations generally require two or more visits.
They include inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns and bridges
fabricated with gold, base metal alloys, ceramics or composites.
During the first visit, the dentist prepares the tooth and
makes an impression of the area to be restored. The dentist
then places a temporary over the prepared tooth. The impression
is sent to a dental laboratory, which creates the dental
restoration. At the next appointment, the dentist cements
the restoration into the prepared cavity and adjusts it as
needed.
In the past, if you had a tooth with
a diseased nerve, you'd probably lose that tooth. Today,
with a special dental procedure called root canal treatment,
you may save that tooth.
Inside each tooth is the pulp and
the nerve. The nerve is the vestige of the tissue that originally
formed the tooth. Once the tooth has been in the mouth for
a time, the functioning of the nerve is no longer necessary.
When a tooth is cracked or has a deep cavity, bacteria
can enter the pulp. Germs can cause an infection inside the
tooth. Left without treatment, pus builds up at the root
tip, in the jawbone, forming a "pus-pocket" called
an abscess. An abscess can cause the pulp tissue to die.
When the infected pulp is not removed, pain and swelling
can result. Certain byproducts of the infection can injure
your jawbones and your overall health. Without treatment,
your tooth may have to be removed.
Treatment often involves
from one to three visits. During treatment, your general
dentist or endodontist (a dentist who specializes in problems
of the pulp) removes the diseased pulp. Next the pulp chamber
and root canal(s) of the tooth are cleaned and sealed. Often
posterior teeth that have endodontic treatment should have
a cast crown placed in order to strengthen the remaining
structure. Then as long as you to continue to care for your
teeth and gums with regular brushing, flossing, and checkups
so that the root(s) of the restored tooth are nourished by
the surrounding tissues, your restored tooth can last a lifetime.
Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure
with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits.
Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile!
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Fillings
