Are you putting off that cavity due to dental anxiety or maybe some other reason like finances? Waiting too long to take care of decay will cause it to spread deeper into the tooth. As the cavity gets bigger more extensive treatment may be needed and the risk of losing your tooth also increases. In today’s blog, your team of dental experts at Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, discusses ways to restore a damaged tooth.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
When a cavity or chip in your tooth isn’t too large, we can easily restore it with a filling. This process involves removing the decayed portion and filling it with a strong composite resin material. The filling material is matched closely with your natural tooth and will create an aesthetically pleasing restoration.
Tooth-colored fillings can also be used to correct cosmetic imperfections, like white spots or chips. We call this procedure bonding. If you choose to do cosmetic bonding, we suggest whitening beforehand so that we can match the composite resin material to your healthy bright shade.
Root Canals
If you wait too long to fill a tooth the decay can spread into the deeper more delicate layers of the tooth. If the innermost layer, known as the pulp is breached, you will need a root canal. Once infection reaches the nerves and blood it must be cleaned out and treated or it will continue to spread.
This process involves accessing the root chambers, cleaning them out, and then filling them. A crown is often recommended after, to protect the tooth from breaking.
Crowns
A crown is needed when more of the tooth is compromised, and it is at risk of breaking. Sometimes a filling will make the tooth too weak to support normal functions like chewing. In this case, we must create a custom restoration that will cover the whole tooth like a helmet. A crown holds the tooth together and makes a strong, long-lasting restoration.
Schedule Your Conservative Filling Today!
Don’t wait to remove dental decay until your tooth hurts or you need a root canal. Take the time to get a conservative filling and keep your natural teeth strong and healthy. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call us today at Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS at (913)381-2600!