Is a crown the right choice for you? Why can’t a
filling do the job?
“A crown is the correct option when the majority of
the tooth structure has been damaged due to decay or through injury,” says Dr.Judith Ko from her Hemet California Dental Practice.
Your dentist will generally recommend a filling when
the tooth decay is minimal – which is why dentists are always talking about
coming in for regular visits – but when decay has been left untreated for a
period of time, the only choice is for a full protective covering.
In addition, when nerve damage has compromised a
tooth, and endodontic treatment has occurred, the tooth will become brittle and
be more susceptible to breakage. With this in mind, your dentist will generally
recommend a crown, especially when the tooth affected is a back tooth that is
used for grinding and chewing food.
Sometimes the tooth has no symptoms – is not causing
any discomfort – but your dentist can see lines showing that the tooth is
fracturing. In this case your dentist may recommend a crown to prevent pain in
the future or a broken or fractured tooth that cannot be saved due to the
breakage occurring so close or even below the gum tissue.
As with any procedure recommended, ask questions. Your dentist will be happy to share the
reasons for the recommendation and explain the process thoroughly with you.
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