Do I Need a Crown?

It’s time for your next dental checkup, but it’s been years since you saw a dentist last. You’re starting to suspect that one of your teeth needs a filling or some other type of treatment; after all, it feels a little funny when you bite down and chew on it.

To your surprise, you learn that you don’t need a filling at all…but rather a full coverage dental crown. How can this be, especially since there’s nothing visibly wrong with your tooth and you’re not in pain?

Looking Inside of the Tooth

Thanks to digital X-rays, our Studfield dentists can see portions of your teeth that aren’t visible during a clinical exam. This includes where teeth touch one another, around the roots, and even along the margins of your existing dental work. In a large percentage of cases, teeth can have active cavities or cracks without you ever realizing it until the situation becomes severe.

Can’t I Fill the Tooth Instead?

Fillings are always ideal, but only if the damage is small. They’re less invasive to your smile and we prefer to use them when decay can be intercepted early. But when a large portion of a tooth is compromised, filling it will only set you up for additional disappointment. Biting down on a tooth with an extremely large filling may cause your tooth to break, simply because it can’t withstand the pressure. Instead, a crown protects the tooth underneath, so that you can continue using it as normal.

At Studfield Dental Group, we’re here to help you retake control of your oral health and get your smile back in shape again. If you suspect that you have a cavity or broken tooth, call our Wantrina South dentists today to schedule an exam.