Treatment Options for Fractured Teeth
Chips, cracks, and other kinds of damage to the teeth can affect the look of your smile as well as your dental health. Biting can chewing can be very uncomfortable, and you may feel self-conscious about smiling and speaking around others.
Thankfully the team at our Wichita restorative dentistry center has plenty of options for improving the overall health and wellness of your smile. Let's look at the treatments available for fractured teeth.
Dental Bonding
For minor issues with fractures that are only cosmetic in nature, the ideal option for treatment is a dental bonding. Dental bonding involves the use of a tooth-colored dental resin that is painted directly onto the tooth. This resin blends in seamlessly with the tooth structure, masking various kinds of imperfections from view.
Porcelain Veneers
For more serious fractures that are still predominantly cosmetic in nature, the ideal option for treatment is the use of a porcelain veneer. Porcelain veneers are thin shells of dental ceramic that are carefully fixed to the fronts of a person's teeth. The veneers are semi-translucent, allowing light to pass through them, achieving an appearance that's like natural teeth. When you have porcelain veneers in place, no one will realize that you've had dental work done.
Dental Fillings
For tooth fractures that affect the structure of a tooth, cosmetic solutions alone will not be sufficient. Minor fractures can be addressed through the use of dental fillings. These are the same kinds of fillings that are used to treat cavities, filling in missing tooth structure and restoring the strength of a tooth. Fillings come in tooth-colored or metal forms. The ideal option will be determined during the consultation process.
Inlays and Onlays
When a fracture is too severe for a dental filling, inlays and onlays are an ideal option to consider. Inlays and onlays are like dental fillings, but they are larger and able to restore more of a fracture tooth. With inlays and onlays, the entire cusp (biting surface) of a tooth can be fixed. Inlays and onlays come in tooth-colored and metal forms, with the ideal option determine by the tooth and the extent of the fracture.
Dental Crowns
When a tooth is severely damaged, the last resort to save the remaining structure is a dental crown. Dental crowns are caps that fit over a damaged tooth. With a crown in place, patients are able to bite and chew normally again, without pain or discomfort. As with the other restorations, crowns can be tooth-colored or metal, depending on the needs of the patient.
What If a Tooth Cannot Be Restored?
There are some cases in which the fracture affecting a tooth is so severe that the tooth cannot be saved. Unfortunately, the only option to consider for these cases is tooth extraction. The extracted tooth can be replaced with a dental bridge. When multiple teeth are removed, it may be a good idea to consider a partial denture or full denture. There is also an option to have a dental appliance supported with a dental implant, which is an artificial tooth root.
During a visit to the practice, we can help determine the ideal option for filling the gap left by the missing tooth.
Learn More About Restorative Dentistry
For more information about treating fractured teeth and enhancing your overall dental health and wellness, be sure to contact our advanced dental care center today. We look forward to your visit and discussing these matters with you in greater detail.
