Why should I get a filling if my tooth doesn’t hurt?

When a tooth has decay, or a cavity, it begins as an incipient lesion barely noticeable.  If you wait until the tooth is sensitive to cold, hot, or sugary foods, the decay in the tooth will be deeper and can affect the nerve of the tooth. That means the tooth may need a root canal or an extraction.  The time to repair the tooth is before the pain.  

 

Much of dentistry’s focus has been to detect decay earlier and earlier so that we can remove as little tooth structure as possible to make a restoration.  With the bonding agents and resins that we have now, very small fillings are possible and will be sturdy.    

Do I need a crown?

The question of whether or not a tooth needs a crown can be a bit confusing.  There are many reasons to get a dental crown.  If there is a substantial amount of tooth gone or badly decayed, a crown can act as a binder to hold the tooth together during times when pressure is put on the tooth, like chewing,  If a tooth is cracked, it may also need to have that hard outer shell that a crown provides to give strength to the tooth to prevent further fracture.  Another indication for crowns is after a root canal.  After a root canal teeth can become brittle, due to the removal of blood supply to the tooth when the nerve is removed.  A crown is not always necessary in these cases but clinical judgement is necessary to determine whether a crown is necessary or not.  I look at the bite of the patient, the size of the filling in the tooth, and discuss the patient's dental habits to decide.  Dental habits could include teeth grinding, ice chewing, and dietary considerations.  A crown can be considered sometimes to simply make a tooth look better.  Crowns can be made with all porcelain and look very natural even beside teeth without crowns.