Thursday, July 21, 2016

Can Damaged Teeth be Repaired?

All sorts of breakage can occur in teeth, from little hairline cracks to major breaks that extend all the way to the root. Teeth also sustain damage from simple attrition or a lifetime of use, which erodes enamel and causes structural weakness. Add gradual discoloring over the years, either gray or yellow shades from drinking coffee and smoking, and your teeth are a handful to take care of.

However, most tooth damage is replaceable. There are several restorative programs your dentist can tell you about. Some are merely cosmetic, acting to camouflage the damage so your smile can continue. Others are orthodontic, and give your mouth a full overhaul. Often, a combination of plans will be used. 

For missing teeth, you may consider dental implants or dental bridges. These two often work in concert. Dental implants are a surgical installation of a new tooth root and prosthetic tooth. Dental bridges merge a prosthetic tooth, called a pontic in this case, with the healthy teeth to either side, called abutments.

Cavities may be filled with tooth-colored fillings or sealants, and severely decayed teeth can be restored with root canal therapy. These are some of the ways your smile can be saved from destruction. Contact our restorative dentist in Los Angeles for more.

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