Can Worn Down Teeth Be Fixed?
Having badly worn-down teeth is very frustrating. Eating or speaking properly can be difficult and at times, painful. But with the right treatments, you can regain your smile and avoid future problems. If you have badly damaged or worn-down teeth, you probably want to know how to repair them. If the damage is severe enough, your tooth may need to be extracted and replaced with a prosthesis. Since many dentists recommend implants as a “gold standard” for tooth replacement, you might rush and think that tooth extraction and implants would be the best route to fix your smile. Dental prostheses can be cost-prohibitive or contraindicated for some patients, so it is worth examining what other options you might have if you have worn-down teeth. There are other interventions that might be possible before resorting to tooth extraction and replacement with an implant. When there are no indications for it, the best option to treat worn-down teeth may be through a root canal combined with a crown to strengthen the existing natural tooth.
To do a root canal or to remove a tooth?
A properly treated, reinforced, and prosthetically rebuilt tooth can survive in the oral cavity for as long as the remaining healthy teeth. It just needs to be checked regularly. It used to be thought that root canal treatment was not a long-term solution. Today, however, there are many modern diagnostics and precise tools that can precisely clean and tightly fill even very narrow and atypical root canals. If you have an old root canal that is failing, it is worth talking to your dentist about a second root canal using more modern methods. Root canals can ensure a healthy smile for a long time.
What to do when a tooth has a damaged crown?
A badly damaged or worn-down natural tooth crown - due to decay or mechanical injuries - does not have to be a reason for extraction. Your dentist might be able to repair even a badly damaged tooth. First, they will treat it endodontically, and then strengthen it with a crown-root inlay. Such an inlay stabilizes the tooth and prepares it for prosthetic reconstruction in the form of a porcelain crown.
What if there is a large hole in the tooth due to caries?
When your dentist treats the tooth through a root canal, they must drill into the existing tooth, the result of which could be a large hole. Instead of filling it with composite - especially in molars – they can use overlays, which are reconstructions that are essentially micro-crowns that rebuild the anatomy of the tooth that has been damaged by caries and the root canal that is necessary to remove dead tooth tissue. Overlays are made in a prosthetic laboratory. They are more durable and less prone to mechanical damage than extensive composite restorations made in layers. Thus, such restorations increase the chance of the tooth surviving after endodontic therapy, and of course also restore the anatomy and functions of your teeth and the teeth look and act as if they never had a problem.
How to repair worn down teeth: porcelain crowns
Porcelain crowns are the most aesthetic way to rebuild worn-down teeth. The porcelain crown most closely imitates the appearance of natural teeth. When well made, it is virtually indistinguishable from your own teeth. A prosthetic crown can be compared to a thimble that is glued onto a ground tooth. While grinding the tooth for the crown, your dentist will remove the tissues damaged by decay and model the tooth in the shape of a pillar for prosthetic restoration.