Hi, it's Mia Armonde here to talk to you about family dentistry. As my small family grew into a large one, I found myself at the dental office on a regular basis. Every six months, the kids would go into the dentist for a cleaning or repairs to their teeth. During that time, I took an interest in the various ways the dental tools were evolving. Tools used in the dental industry have grown in leaps and bounds in the last few decades. For example, my kids went from hearing the dental drill to wearing headphones that completely canceled out the sound. Each time we go back into the dentist, I take a close look at the improvements that have arisen since the last visit. The results are astounding. I will cover my findings on this site, so you can also enjoy the improvements to dental tools and techniques.
The protective enamel on teeth requires calcium to maintain its strength. Sometimes not enough calcium is supplied and a condition called enamel hypocalcification happens. Hypocalcification makes the enamel weak and can create discoloration, dents, or pits on either the enamel or the dentin below.
You can't regenerate damaged enamel but you can protect from further enamel loss with fluoride toothpaste. The hypocalcification may require treatment from your dentist to prevent the damage from worsening or to correct existing cosmetic concerns.
What are a few of the potential cosmetic dentistry treatments for enamel hypocalcification?
Dental Crown
A dental crown is an artificial tooth cap that is fitted over your existing tooth. Crowns allow you to keep your natural teeth but protect the weakened enamel from further damage.
The strongest type of crown involves a metal base with a tooth-colored porcelain top. A visible metal line is at the bottom of the crown. But on a full-tooth crown, the line is mostly unnoticeable along the gums.
All-porcelain crowns are also available if your crown is at the front of your mouth and you're worried about that line. Note that all-porcelain crowns aren't the best choice for molars since the amount of bite force on those teeth could risk cracking the crown.
Root Canal
Has your weakened enamel already allowed for significant damage to your tooth? If that damage has penetrated the dentin, there's a chance the root canal inside the tooth was damaged. Your dentist might want to perform a root canal procedure before the dental crown to ensure the exiting tooth is healthy.
For a root canal, the dentist opens up the top of the natural crown to access the canal. Any damaged pulp material inside is scraped out, and then the canal is sealed shut with a biomedical plastic. The dentist is then able to cover the whole tooth with a dental crown.
Extraction and Implant
Has the hypocalcification and a trauma caused more damage to the tooth than a root canal can repair? Your dentist might want to extract the tooth and fill the gap with a dental replacement.
A dental implant is one of the most stable dental replacement options when it comes to chewing. That's due to the implant's metal root, which is fitted into the jawbone. Extraction and a dental implant are the only surefire ways to stop further damage from hypocalcification, but your dentist will try first to save your natural tooth.
To learn more about your options, contact a local dentist, like Dr. George Yarzabek, DDS, with your questions.
Share26 May 2015
