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Are you experiencing dental pain or discomfort? Depending on the extent of damage to your tooth, our dentist in South Bend, IN, may recommend dental crowns, fillings, or other procedures to restore your oral health.
If you have a toothache, you won’t know what type of treatment you need until you see our dentist. During your appointment, he’ll examine your mouth and take X-rays to diagnose the source of your pain.
In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about the main differences between dental crowns and fillings.
Dental Crown
A is like a cap that sits on top of your tooth. This is because it completely covers the portion of the tooth above the gum line, restoring its full strength and appearance.
Candidates
Our South Bend dentist may recommend a dental crown if you have a tooth with significant injury or decay. For example, Dr. Gasko may recommend a dental crown if your tooth has a cavity that’s too big for a filling.
Procedure
In general, the dental crown procedure takes two visits to our office. During your first appointment, Dr. Gasko will need to file down and shape the receiving tooth to create space for the crown. Next, he’ll use a shade guide to select the perfect color for your new crown restoration.
Once that’s complete, Dr. Gasko will send this information along to the dental lab that will be responsible for creating your crown. To protect your tooth in the meantime, Dr. Gasko will place a temporary crown.
When you return to our office for your second appointment, your permanent dental crown will be ready. Dr. Gasko will make sure the new crown is the proper size, color, and shape so it looks natural and blends in with the rest of your smile. He’ll then replace the temporary crown restoration with the permanent one.
For the final step, Dr. Gasko will go to great lengths to ensure your bite is perfect before leaving our office.
Lifespan
In general, a porcelain dental crown may last up to 15 years with proper care. This means that you’ll be responsible for practicing good oral hygiene, seeing Dr. Gasko for preventive dental care, and wearing a night guard if you have bruxism.
Dental Fillings
One of the main differences between composite fillings and porcelain crowns is that it only takes one appointment to restore a tooth with a filling. During this appointment, Dr. Gasko will remove the decayed portion of the tooth so it doesn’t spread. He’ll then use a composite resin to fill the tooth and restore it to its original strength and appearance.
Candidates
Our South Bend dentist may recommend a to restore a tooth with a small cavity. Under these circumstances, it’s best to not delay treatment so the cavity doesn’t have the chance to worsen. If decay spreads to the inner chamber of your tooth (pulp), then we may have to do a root canal and crown to save the tooth.
Lifespan
In general, you can expect a composite filling to last up to 7 years. The lifespan of your filling will ultimately depend on your dental hygiene, eating habits, teeth grinding, and other factors. The better you care for your smile, the longer you can expect your filling to last.
Book an Appointment with Dr. Gasko
Dr. Michael Gasko is an experienced , who’s accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, please call Select Dental Associates at (574) 232-8888. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.
