Fillings are commonly made from dental grade materials like composite-resin, amalgam, gold, or dental-grade porcelain. This makes them directly invulnerable to the tooth decay caused by the natural bacteria living in your mouth. Yet it is still possible for poor oral hygiene, to affect the long-term integrity of your filling.
As time goes by, bacteria in your mouth can be bolstered by inconsistencies in your daily oral hygiene routine. This might allow them to infiltrate the microscopic seam where the filling meets the tooth enamel. As the bacteria compromise the bond holding the filling in place, it can allow a new area of tooth decay to form inside the previously repaired tooth.
To effectively treat a tooth with a bad filling, Dr. Sylvia Ramirez Flores might need to perform a crown restoration in Mission, Texas. Â This method of treatment will replace the entire tooth enamel layer of the affected tooth with a porcelain, gold, or metallic replica. The interior of the crown is hollow so it can be anchored on a post-like abutment formed from the core structures of the tooth.
Dr. Sylvia Ramirez Flores will examine the tooth, to assess the severity of the problem before numbing it with an injection of Novocain in the local gum tissues. Then Dr. Sylvia Ramirez Flores will remove the entirety of the tooth enamel. This leaves behind a post-like abutment of dentin that encases the pulp and root of the tooth.
An impression will be prepared of the abutment and any related teeth in the area. This will be sent to a dental lab where the permanent crown is made. Then a temporary crown made from hard plastic is secured over the abutment to protect it.
A member of Dr. Sylvia Ramirez Flores’s staff will call you to schedule a brief second appointment when the crown is ready. This appointment will be brief, as the temporary crown is removed and your permanent crown is cemented onto the abutment.
If you have a tooth with a bad or missing dental filling and live in the Mission, Texas area, please call 956-583-0055 to have it treated by Dr. Sylvia Ramirez Flores. Our entire team is dedicated to your smile health!