Although dental decay has been steadily decreasing in Canada for the past 40 years, dental fillings are still a very common and essential part of dentistry.
A dental filling is used to replace tooth structure lost due to cavity or a broken tooth. Your dentist has to remove the decay and prepare the tooth before placing the dental filling. Dental fillings allow for a damaged tooth to be returned to its original shape and function.
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A food trap can occur between two teeth that have a slightly loose or open area of contact. An opening or space between teeth allows food to become trapped while eating. Sometimes the food trap can be noticeable and annoying. Or it may go completely unnoticed, depending on the size and severity. Some food traps pose a risk to the health of the teeth and gums in the area if not addressed.
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There are several reasons why your dentist might recommend placing a crown on your child’s tooth. The main reason is if the cavity on the tooth is large. Baby teeth are not just smaller versions of adult teeth. They have thinner layers of enamel, the protective outer layer. A thinner layer means that a cavity can grow and affect the nerve of the tooth faster than it could in an adult tooth. Once a cavity gets close to the nerve, it will likely need nerve treatment, often called a “baby root canal” this is not as invasive as an adult root canal, but it does leave the tooth weaker and more prone to breakage if not protected. Cavities often occur on more than one surface of a tooth, so instead of placing multiple fillings on one tiny tooth, a crown would cover all of the surfaces. The crown will protect the tooth from future decay and breakage.
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