A common question I get is ..........
"can that broken tooth just be fixed with a filling"?
The answer to that is normally, yes.
But it is important to understand what a filling is.
A filling is NOT a new tooth.
A filling is a patch.
Like a patch in a pair of pants.
The patch relies on the strength of the remaining tooth for support.
This puts added stress on the remaining healthy tooth structure.
Here is a picture of 2 teeth where fillings were placed.
The fillings run the length of the tooth.
The sides of the tooth are now responsible to support the fillings.
The tooth on the bottom is holding but the tooth on the top has fractured.
The future of the top tooth is now in jeopardy.
How bad is the break?
Has the break extended into the nerve, thus requiring root canal?
Is there enough tooth for a crown?
Will the tooth need to be extracted?
Make sure to ask your dentist which is better for you.
