What is Replacement of the missing tooth structure?
Replacing a missing tooth or an even piece of a tooth with any kind of artificial substance is called replacement of the missing dental structure or tooth restoration. This is done to patients when there occur problems in eating, or chewing and speaking. It includes dental implants or fractional and absolute dentures, inlays, bridges, crowns or fillings.
Purpose and Prevention
Tooth restorations may vary depending on their severances. Fillings replace the lost, decayed or the injured tooth, or crown inlays, whereas the bridges, or dentures and even implants are used in order to protect the shape of the teeth and the functionality of the entire mouth.
There are patients who have complains of allergic reactions to medications and anesthesia. More commonly, people avoid the dental treatments. Visiting Wimbledon dentist may remove this fear.
Fillings: Damages caused due to tooth decay require fillings. When the sugar content in the mouth is converted to acid, attacking the tooth by micro-organisms becomes a cause of tooth decay. The cavities are caused by this acid and may affect the harder surface of the tooth extending to the pulp and the tooth nerves and the blood vessels. This leads to swelling, pain and infection. In order to stop the tooth decay, dentists drill the decayed portions and remove them by filling it with amalgams of silver, gold or composite resin. The filling is positioned in the cavity and within a few minutes, it hardens. The different fillings, though serve same purpose, varies to some extent.
Inlays: It is similar to the fillings. The difference is that it fills the gaps that the removed decayed tooth left, also that they are shaped outside and then cemented inside the mouth. Using a mold of removed tooth’s space, wax patterns are made an inlay. That is mostly of gold is then fixed in the dental cavity.
Crowns: Enamel of the teeth is covered by crown. While undergoing the replacement of the tooth structure, this outer surface is replaced by restorative crown. This is important for crooked teeth and when the entire structure is damaged caused by the tooth decay. Once the decayed portion is removed, the gum is prepared for the crown. Having tampered outer edges with a metal core or a combination of both, the wax impressions of the affected teeth and the one beside it are taken. Then the crown is made based on the choices of the patient’s preference of the metal; gold, silver, veneer or tooth colored ones. Lastly, the prepared crown is placed over the treated tooth after some adjustments and is finally sealed.
Bridges: when a permanent or more than one tooth is lost, the type of restoration required under that situation is called bridges. The gap created must be sealed, else the remaining teeth may shift. If it is not done, the gaps become difficult to clean and it is not possible to maintain the oral hygiene infecting the decayed tooth. Thus, it becomes the cause of toothache. Bridges once made are difficult to be removed as it is sealed with the crown of the adjacent tooth, which faces the forces and pressure created during chewing.
Partial and complete dentures: it is similar in treatment as bridges, the difference being that they can be removed as they are attached to the crown and the teeth beside with a metal clamp. It is treated mostly at the end of natural teeth row. When a complete set of top or bottom teeth are lost, complete dentures are used. To fit the oral anatomy complete teeth setting is molded and fitted.
Implants: This is done for securing the artificial ornaments, used during the treatment is implants. A metal or a hard plastic fixture may be used and implanted over the soft tissue and bone. Latter the bone grows and hold it tightly.
Preparations
When you visit dentist, before treatment, they remove the traces showing tooth decay, takes the shapes and finally tooth restoration is done. Other than filling where the treatment is done inside the mouth for others entire process is done in laboratory.
Aftercare
- Fillings: It requires time to harden so chewing is restricted to the other side or is avoided.
- Dentures: This takes few weeks to set and for the patient to get accustomed, there are restrictions to eating certain items.
- Hygiene: Using the brush and floss threads need special attention and food, plaque should, also be removed. Dentures, has to be brushed every day. Patients may require to, visit the NHS dentist at Confidental Dental Clinic, for adjustments if they feel uncomfortable.
Risks: The process, require anesthesia and metals are used which may not suite many people. Though nothing can be as comfortable as the natural teeth, if the treatment is, done properly, teeth restoration is comfortable and long lasting.
