My premolar on the top right has slowly chipped away over the years and is half gone. It has a cavity but I don’t have any pain. I am not sure if the tooth is savable and if so, how will the dentist fix it?
Thanks, Ashley
Dear Ashley,
Depending on how much tooth structure is left your dentist will most likely recommend a porcelain crown. When teeth break or crack the standard of care in dentistry is a dental crown to protect the tooth from breaking further. If a dental crown is recommended the decay will be removed, the tooth will be reshaped, and an impression of the tooth will be taken. An impression is taken so the dental lab can make a porcelain crown to look like a healthy natural tooth. The lab time is usually 2 to 3 weeks. In the meantime your dentist will place a temporary crown on your tooth to protect it and when your porcelain crown is complete your dentist will cement it on with permanent cement.
If there has been nerve damage to the tooth or the nerve is exposed you will mostly likely need a root canal besides the dental crown. A root canal is a fairly simple procedure where the dentist removes the nerve of the tooth, cleans out the canal in the root, and fills the canal with a dental material. If the nerve of the tooth has been dead for some time, the roots can calcify and a root canal cannot be completed. Ask your dentist for your best treatment option as well as all the pro’s and con’s of all dental treatment recommended.
Post courtesy of Dr. Kitchen and Dr. Stapley, Mesa Arizona dentists
