Fillings are meant to repair a tooth that has a cavity. While they are meant to last a long time, it is possible for the seam of the filling to eventually yield to the bacteria living in your mouth. This is even more likely to happen if you are inconsistent with your daily oral hygiene routine.
Should the bacteria invade the seam between the filling and the healthy tooth enamel, it could allow a new area of decay to form. Sometimes you might even notice a graying color in the tooth enamel near the filling or a change in texture. Other times you might not even notice the filling had a problem.
In many cases when a large filling falls out, there isn’t enough healthy tooth enamel remaining to secure a new filling in place. In a case like this, our dentist will likely recommend restoring the entire enamel layer of the tooth with a dental crown in Avon, IN.
The first step of treatment involves the dentist examining the tooth to make sure no new decay has set in. If decay has penetrated down into the pulp or root of the tooth, they might need to perform a root canal to remove infected material and restore the missing structure.
Once any issues with the internal structure have been addressed, your dentist will form an abutment out of the core of the tooth. This post-like structure will later anchor the crown in your mouth.
Your dentist will then take an impression of the area. This will be sent to a dental lab where your new crown will be prepared. A temporary crown will then be secured over the abutment to keep it safe while you await the completion of your crown.
Once the dental lab technician has finished your new crown, our Sonshine Family Dental team will call you in for a brief follow-up appointment. The temporary crown will then be removed and your new crown will be cemented into place.
If you’ve recently had a filling fall out, you should not delay in contacting Sonshine Family Dental at 317-271-1330 to have it examined and treated.