No one plans to acquire tooth decay. It’s something we generally try to avoid by keeping up with good dental selfcare. Failing that, you may try to avoid finding out you have a cavity at all by not going to the dentist. Unfortunately, letting tooth decay fester can result in unpleasant dental issues like tooth abscesses. Cavities happen to many of us, so the best course of action is to visit your dentist every six months, and catch them early. When you do have a cavity, there are different treatment methods, depending on your situation, and all of them have cosmetic slants.
Fillings
Quite a few of your fellow Americans already have at least one filling in their mouths. Are you a part of that club? Streptococcus mutans are bacteria that live inside our mouths, and only 1% of the population is immune. S. mutans metabolize sugar, converting it to lactic acid. This damages tooth enamel and allows cavities to begin rotting your teeth. The usual course of action for tooth decay caught early enough is a filling made from tooth-colored composite resin.
Inlays and Onlays
Inlays are recommended when tooth decay is present but a bit more reinforcement is needed than a simple filling can provide. The damaged part of an injured or decaying tooth is fitted with prefabricated material. The inlay is bonded to the cusp tips of your tooth. As with fillings, tooth-colored material can be utilized for an inlay so that you can hardly tell it is there. Onlays are very similar to inlays. The difference is that the composite resin material is made to extend out, or over, one or more of the tooth’s cusps. This provides even better reinforcement than an inlay, but not quite as much as a crown.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are generally required if you have neglected tooth decay. Crowns are also the usual course for treatment when an injury occurs such as a large chunk of tooth breaking off. Fabricated from gold, porcelain, or porcelain-fused-to-metal, crowns can also be used for cosmetic purposes on front teeth which are badly damaged.
Visit your Glencoe Cosmetic Dentist
To schedule an appointment, call our 60022 dentist office at 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.
