Options For Restoring A Decayed Front Tooth
If you've put off going to the dentist for a long time and now you have a decayed front tooth, you may wonder what it will take to restore it. Your dentist has a few different options for filling a front tooth depending on how much decay it has. Unlike a molar, the front tooth has to look nice when the work is done, so metal fillings are out unless you like the appearance of a gold tooth. Usually, the dentist will use a resin filling or crown. Here's a look at your options.
Using A Resin Filling
Resin fillings are white. The color can be shaded to match your neighboring teeth closely, so the filling blends in and becomes invisible. A resin filling is a good choice when the decayed area is fairly small. Once the decayed portion of your tooth is large …show more content…
A bridge consists of three crowns. It could be used when you have two teeth next to each other that are decayed. It is also used to replace a tooth. If for some reason you decide to pull the decayed tooth rather than restore it, your dentist can place a crown in the gap that's left behind. This is done with a bridge that attaches crowns to the teeth on each side of the gap that then hold the middle crown in place.
Putting In An Implant
A crown can also be used with an implant. The purpose of an implant is to replace a missing tooth. It is a better option than getting a bridge because the dentist doesn't bother the neighboring teeth. Instead, an implant is inserted in your jawbone and then a crown is placed on top of it to fill in for the tooth you had pulled.
Even if your tooth has a lot of decay, your dentist may try to save it with a root canal and crown rather than pulling the tooth. When a tooth is pulled, the bone loses stimulation from the roots and that can cause bone loss. Plus, if you don't fill the gap right away, your front teeth can shift, and that will affect your
If you've put off going to the dentist for a long time and now you have a decayed front tooth, you may wonder what it will take to restore it. Your dentist has a few different options for filling a front tooth depending on how much decay it has. Unlike a molar, the front tooth has to look nice when the work is done, so metal fillings are out unless you like the appearance of a gold tooth. Usually, the dentist will use a resin filling or crown. Here's a look at your options.
Using A Resin Filling
Resin fillings are white. The color can be shaded to match your neighboring teeth closely, so the filling blends in and becomes invisible. A resin filling is a good choice when the decayed area is fairly small. Once the decayed portion of your tooth is large …show more content…
A bridge consists of three crowns. It could be used when you have two teeth next to each other that are decayed. It is also used to replace a tooth. If for some reason you decide to pull the decayed tooth rather than restore it, your dentist can place a crown in the gap that's left behind. This is done with a bridge that attaches crowns to the teeth on each side of the gap that then hold the middle crown in place.
Putting In An Implant
A crown can also be used with an implant. The purpose of an implant is to replace a missing tooth. It is a better option than getting a bridge because the dentist doesn't bother the neighboring teeth. Instead, an implant is inserted in your jawbone and then a crown is placed on top of it to fill in for the tooth you had pulled.
Even if your tooth has a lot of decay, your dentist may try to save it with a root canal and crown rather than pulling the tooth. When a tooth is pulled, the bone loses stimulation from the roots and that can cause bone loss. Plus, if you don't fill the gap right away, your front teeth can shift, and that will affect your