Fillings are either bonded or cemented securely to the surrounding tooth enamel, to repair a small area of tooth decay or minor dental fracture. With the gradual passage of time and any inconsistencies in your oral hygiene habits, this once strong bond can start to weaken.
Sometimes when this happens you might notice a change in texture, color, or increased sensitivity in the tooth. Yet there are other instances where the tooth shows no direct symptoms of a problem. When this happens, you might be chewing gum or eating a meal only to find the filling has fallen out.
Should this befall you, it’s best to seek timely treatment at our Mentor, Ohio dental office. If the filling is small, we might be able to repair the problem by applying a new, slightly larger filling.
Unfortunately, many of these cases, there might not be enough viable tooth enamel remaining to anchor a new filling. To remedy this we might recommend a crown restoration.
This involves one of our dentists removing the tooth enamel layer, leaving behind a small post-like structure called an abutment. This will later serve to anchor your crown into your mouth.
Then a detailed impression will be prepared of the abutment and surrounding teeth before covering it with a temporary crown. The impression is sent to a dental lab to serve as a guide while they prepare the crown.
When your crown is ready, you will need to come in for a second appointment. We will then cement your permanent crown in place with a strong dental adhesive that will bond the crown in your mouth for many years to come.
If you live in Mentor, Ohio and you have a tooth missing a filling, you should not delay calling 440-358-0495 to have it treated.