Most of us will need to have a filling at some point in our lives. This is an excellent way of repairing teeth that have been affected by decay or relatively minor damage. Modern fillings can even now be provided in the same colour as a natural tooth, making the filling almost invisible to those around you. Sometimes though, a filling will not restore a decayed or damaged tooth as efficiently as other methods.
If a tooth has become badly weakened through decay or has suffered a fracture or already contains a large filling, replacing it with another filling may well not provide the strength the tooth needs. In situations like these, our Staines dentist may recommend that you have a crown or an onlay instead.
Patients sometimes tend to think that a damaged tooth either needs a filling or needs to come out. This usually isn’t the case though, and, where more significant damage occurs, there are options available that may allow us to help you to keep the tooth when filling it is no longer an option.
A filling works by replacing the part of the tooth that has been lost through decay or damage. When only a small amount of tooth structure has been affected, it is usually an excellent solution.
Larger fillings though, can leave the remaining tooth walls thinner and more prone to breaking or cracking under pressure. Every time you bite into something firm, those weakened areas are placed under stress, a piece of the tooth may suddenly break away.
A crown is sometimes described as a cap that fits over a tooth and can be an excellent solution where a filling can’t be used.
After removing any damaged or weakened areas, our Staines dentists will carefully shape the tooth so that a custom-made crown can fit securely over it. Once secured into place using a special adhesive, the crown will completely cover the visible part of the tooth above the gum line.
This not only provides strength but also restores the tooth's shape and allows it to function much as it did before it became damaged.
Modern crowns are often made from high-quality ceramic materials that closely resemble natural enamel. In many cases, it can be difficult to tell which tooth has been restored.
Most patients of the Clarence Dental Practice are probably familiar with what a crown is, but fewer perhaps, as to what an onlay is. Rather than covering the entire tooth, an onlay replaces only the damaged section while leaving as much healthy tooth structure untouched as possible. It could probably be said that it sits somewhere between being a filling and a crown.
If the centre of a tooth and one or more of its cusps have been damaged, but the rest of the tooth remains healthy, an onlay may provide a good balance between strength and conservation. As dentistry moves further towards conserving the natural tooth as much as possible, this fits in well with this approach.
In order to decide whether a filling, crown or onlay is the best approach for your particular situation we need to take a look at the bigger picture. How much healthy tooth remains? Is the tooth cracked? Has the tooth already had several fillings over the years? Is it a back tooth that absorbs heavy chewing forces, or a front tooth where appearance is also important? Looking at these as a whole enables us to put the best action plan into place to preserve your damaged or decayed tooth.
In some instances, a crown may offer the best long-term protection. On other occasions, an onlay will be able to provide all the strength that is needed while preserving more of the natural tooth. Our aim is always to recommend the option that gives the tooth the greatest chance of remaining healthy for many years.
Crowns and onlays are both very strong, but they are not completely immune to damage. Like natural teeth, they can chip if subjected to enough force. Biting ice cubes, opening packaging with your teeth or chewing unexpectedly on something very hard can place unnecessary stress on any restoration, whether filling, crown or onlay. Teeth grinding (bruxism) can also be an issue and if you suffer from this, we can discuss the option of wearing a mouthguard at night to prevent further damage to your teeth.
As with all teeth, you should brush your restored teeth and floss between your teeth as well. The restoration itself won’t decay but a lack of cleaning can cause gum disease which can cause loose or missing teeth.
Many patients retain the same crown or onlay for well over a decade, and sometimes even longer than that. Their longevity depends on several factors, including oral hygiene, diet, the health of the surrounding gums and how much pressure the tooth experiences during normal function.
Regular examinations will allow us to monitor any restorations over time and identify any small changes before they become larger problems.
At the Clarence Dental Practice we will always do what we can to preserve as much of the natural tooth as possible and the use of a crown or onlay can enable us to do this where a filling would not suffice. If you would like to find out more about these options or would like to register or make an appointment with us, you can contact our Staines dental clinic by calling us on 01784 463 695.
Address: 21a Clarence Street, Staines upon Thames, Surrey, TW18 4SU
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