A modest size cavity, chip, or case of dental attrition can sometimes be treated with a dental filling. This repair will replace the compromised area with an alternate dental material like gold, dental grade porcelain, composite resin, or metallic amalgam.
Going forward you will need to apply concerted effort toward maintaining good oral hygiene practices. If you are inconsistent with brushing your teeth each morning and night, or you fail to floss at least once each day, the chronic presence of plaque acids in your mouth can demineralize your tooth enamel. In time this could degrade the once strong relationship between a dental filling and the adjacent tooth enamel.
If this goes undetected or untreated the natural bacteria in your mouth might be able to invade the seam between the old dental filling and the otherwise healthy tooth enamel. If tooth decay develops deep within the recesses of the tooth it could gradually start to affect the dentin, pulp, or root of a tooth causing a toothache.
Even if the toothache pain is minor, you still need to seek treatment from a dentist like Dr. Don Schiess before it has a chance to worsen.
Dr. Don Schiess will examine tooth and take a few X-rays, this will help him develop an effective treatment plan.
In many of these cases, Dr. Don Schiess needs to perform a root canal. This endodontic treatment will remove the entire tooth enamel layer as well as the old filling, and any newly developed areas of tooth decay. Dr. Don Schiess will then rebuild sufficient structure to anchor a dental crown.
If you live in the Medford, Oregon, area and you have a toothache in a previously repaired tooth, you should not delay in calling 541-773-4073 to seek treatment at Open Door Family Dentistry.
