General Dentistry Restoration Options for a Damaged Tooth

Your commitment to using general dentistry services will improve your oral health. Dental visits are essential for preventing serious conditions and maintain healthy teeth and gums. There are also cosmetic reasons to visit the dentist. If you have damaged a tooth or multiple teeth, your dentist has a few choices to restore their appearance and function. The method will depend on the severity of the issue and what your dentist thinks makes the most sense for your needs.

Common reasons why teeth become damaged

General dentistry offices frequently treat patients who have broken, chipped, or cracked teeth. These conditions can occur in a few different ways. Sometimes, the patient’s poor habits can contribute to the damage. A lack of brushing or flossing can weaken teeth and make them susceptible to cosmetic problems. Failing to go to the dentist’s office regularly can also have the same effect.

In other instances, damage may be the result of an accident or injury. A hard blow to the face can harm a tooth. People can also hurt a tooth by biting into an object such as a hard food or a utensil. Face-first falls can also damage teeth.

Crowns

For cosmetic issues with a tooth, the general dentistry office may first consider using a crown to repair it. Crowns are usually made of porcelain or ceramic. These caps are natural-looking in size, shape, and color. The dentist will place it entirely over the affected tooth. This not only protects it from further damage, but the crown restores the person’s smile, so the aesthetic concerns are gone.

Veneers

A dental veneer works similarly to a crown but has some differences as well. It also will make a damaged tooth appear whole again. But instead of covering the entire tooth, the veneer will bond to the front surface of it. This thin porcelain shell acts much like an artificial fingernail. The dentist will match the veneer to the color of surrounding natural teeth so it will blend in well. Veneers last for up to 10 years, especially if the patient is cautious about biting into hard or chewy foods.

Bonding and fillings

People think of general dentistry offices using fillings to correct cavities, but this treatment has other uses. For small chips and cracks, a filling might be the right choice to repair a person’s tooth. The filling will be tooth-colored, so the patient should not have to worry about it standing out. In a similar way, the dentist can use bonding material to build up the tooth. After placing a filling or using bonding, the dentist will smooth and polish the tooth.