Has a dentist recently told you that you need dental crowns to repair some of your teeth? If so, then you may be wondering why other general dentistry treatments (like dental fillings) won’t work instead.
At Town & Country Dental, we are committed to giving you accurate and honest information about your smile. If your smile is damaged, then let our team find the simplest, most cost-effective treatment option for you. Contact our team in Oak Park, IL, at (708) 383-0330 or on our website here for information and scheduling.
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that cover vulnerable teeth and protect them from future damage. In this blog, we give you four reasons why you may need dental crowns instead of dental fillings.
Severely Damaged Teeth Require Dental Crowns
Dental fillings are a minimally-invasive way to treat minor dental damage, such as:
- Small cavities
- Pits and grooves
- Little chips
Unfortunately, some dental damage is too severe to treat with simple fillings. Instead, dental crowns may be the best way to fortify a weak tooth and keep it safe from invading bacteria.
You may require dental crowns if your teeth are broken, cracked, or have significant dental decay.
Crowns Can Cover Large or Multiple Areas of Decay
Sometimes, our teeth develop very deep or wide cavities. These areas of decay may not be easily treatable with dental fillings. To effectively prevent the decay from spreading, a dental crown may be the best solution.
Similarly, a tooth may have multiple cavities. But, treating multiple cavities on a single tooth with dental fillings may decrease the tooth’s structural integrity. A dental crown reinforces the tooth and offers 360° protection.
A Dental Cap Can Replace Existing Fillings
In some cases, an existing filling may become old and unstable. And, once a dental filling becomes noticeably looser, it is time to replace it.
But, some patients may not be able to replace an existing filling with another one, especially if they have multiple fillings in a single tooth. Instead, they may need omnidirectional support and protection. A dental cap can offer the support and protection your smile requires.
A Tooth Crown Completes Dental Implants and Root Canal Therapy
Tooth crowns are dental prosthetics. This means that dental caps look, act, and feel just like natural teeth. As a result, dentists can use them to complete certain restorative procedures, like dental implant surgery and root canal therapy.
Using a crown to complete a dental implant makes sense, but some patients question why root canal therapy requires a crown. Dentists use crowns rather than fillings to complete root canal therapy because they offer superior protection against microbial infections. Dental fillings simply cannot offer the same amount of support or protection.
Custom-made Dental Crowns in Oak Park, IL
While crowns and fillings can treat similar issues, tooth caps may be the better option for you. Contact Town & Country Dental online here or at (708) 383-0330 to find out which treatment you need now!