Fillings:
Usually a toothache or a visit to the dentist is how a
cavity is discovered. Cavities are caused by tooth decay in
which the outer layer (enamel), of the tooth is eroded by
bacteria in your mouth. Most cavities discovered during a
dental examination will need to be treated. In general, if a
cavity has broken through the enamel and is into the
underlying dentin, or is able to be probed with an explorer,
it requires treatment. Cavities should be treated early to
avoid possible root damage or the loss of the tooth. The
method of treating cavities involves two basic steps:
removing the decayed portion of the tooth, and rebuilding
the missing tooth structure with a filling material. To
repair a large cavity, the surrounding area is first numbed
with a local anesthetic. Once the area is numb, the dentist
then removes and cleans the decayed area of the tooth, and
prepares the area for the filling. There are two types of
filling material used today, silver colored amalgam and
white colored resin. Most patients prefer the resin material
because it matches the color of their tooth. The filling
material is placed into the cleaned cavity and shaped
according to the surface of tooth. The sooner a cavity is
treated, the better. Very small fillings can sometimes be
done without anesthesia using air abrasion instead of a
drill. It takes just a few minutes and is much more
comfortable and less expensive for you. If you are
experiencing tooth pain or discomfort call us and make an
appointment to have the area checked.
Below are photos of amalgam and resin filling material:
| Amalgam |
Resin |
 |
 |
Crowns:
A
crown is a cap that's used to help restore a tooth that has
been chipped or damaged. Crowns protect very large fillings,
helping to keep them in place, and are also used to restore
tooth structure after a root canal. Multiple crowns can be
used to hold a bridge in place. Crowns are
available in a variety of materials including gold and
porcelain. They are permanently fixed, but crowns can
occasionally come loose and need to be replaced. Making a
crown requires several visits. At one appointment, the tooth
will be numbed and reshaped for the crown, and a mold of
your tooth will be taken. A temporary crown is placed over
the tooth until the custom crown is prepared by the lab. The
final crown will usually be cemented on the second
appointment. Caring for your crown requires proper dental
and gum care.
After a tooth has been filled, it is not unusual for the
tooth to be sensitive for a day or two. Generally, the
deeper the filling, the more potential the tooth has to have
prolonged sensitivity, especially to cold. Most fillings
will be completely comfortable within two weeks. In some
cases, the filling may seem too high, and another
appointment may be needed to shave it down to a comfortable
level. If sensitivity lasts more than two weeks, it may
indicate that the tooth has an infected pulp, and may
require root canal therapy.
Root Canal Therapy:
Underneath your tooth's outer enamel and within the dentin
is an area of soft tissue called the pulp, which carries the
tooth's nerves. Root canals are very thin tubes that branch
off from the top pulp
chamber
and go down to the tip of the root. A tooth has at least one
and as many as four root canals. When the pulp becomes
infected due to a deep cavity it can die. Damaged or dead
pulp causes increased blood flow and the pressure cannot be
relieved from inside the tooth. Pain is commonly felt when
biting down, or drinking hot or cold beverages. Root Canal
Therapy is treatment done to remove the damaged or dead pulp
in the root canal of the tooth. The tooth is then
permanently sealed with a crown. Treatment usually involves
three appointments. This procedure allows us to save the
original tooth.
First, you will be given a local anesthetic to numb the
area. A rubber sheet is then placed around the tooth to
isolate it. Next, an opening is drilled through the crown
into the pulp chamber, which is also cleaned of all diseased
pulp. Medication may be inserted into the area to fight
bacteria. Depending on the degree of infection, it may be
left open to drain, or the dentist may go right ahead and
fill the canals. The tooth will then be sealed with a
temporary crown to guard against recontamination. If you're
given a temporary filling, on the next visit it will be
removed and the pulp chamber and canals filled with
rubberlike gutta percha or other material to prevent
recontamination. If the infection was extensive and cleaning
it out has made the tooth structure too weak, a metal post
may be inserted to reinforce the tooth. Once filled, the
area is permanently sealed. Finally, a gold or porcelain
crown is placed over the tooth to strengthen its final
structure and give you a permanent chewing surface.
Extractions:
"Simple" extractions remove whole teeth that may be crowding
other teeth or preventing another tooth from coming in
through the gum. If the tooth is decayed or damaged, a
"surgical" extraction may be required to remove it. Wisdom
teeth extractions may require that the gum be cut to remove
the teeth. New bone and gum tissue will grow over the
extraction site as it heals. To prevent post operative
complications, the dentist's instructions for cleaning and
medicating the area should be carefully followed.
