How To Pick The Right Solution For Dental Problems

Do you make sure to visit your dentist at least twice a year to check on your oral health? Learn why dental visits are so important.

How To Pick The Right Solution For Dental Problems

17 June 2019
 Categories: Dentist, Blog


As a patient visiting a dentist, you may feel a bit confused about the array of procedures that are used to correct dental problems. While you want to trust your practitioner's advice, it doesn't hurt to learn what solutions are commonly used to address what issues. This article will discuss three common situations people should know a bit about.

Crowns vs. Fillings or Veneers

Dental crowns are commonly used to address physical defects in the enamel of a tooth. This can be because cracks, chips, or other types of damage have occurred. On balance, the tooth is otherwise healthy and just needs a good outer surface to continue to serve its purpose.

Fillings are used when decay is occurring underneath. Veneers are typically used when there are defects on a visible side of a tooth, such as very advanced staining. Crowns will be used whenever there are no concerns about decay and when there needs to be enough of a solid supporting structure in a tooth to handle the force of biting down on food.

Aligners

Straightening teeth is an important part of maintaining oral health and providing confidence. The Invisalign system, in particular, has become a popular solution. Candidates for Invisalign have to be in otherwise good oral health. There can be no serious decay or gum disease in progress.

Not everyone is a candidate for aligners. For example, athletes frequently can't use Invisalign because of the amount of time the aligners have to be in their mouths. In many cases, other solutions, such as braces, are viable options.

Dental Implants

Having a gap in your teeth can be problematic for both health and practical reasons. People frequently think of bridges and dentures as the go-to solutions, but dental implants are becoming increasingly popular.

The idea behind an implant is to install a metal post that will bond with bone material beneath the gums. While dental implants are considered expensive by many, they have the virtue of providing solid artificial teeth where there was previously a gap. Especially for folks who are experiencing jaw problems while using dentures, this can be a major quality-of-life improvement.

Implants are very versatile. Single implants can replace individual teeth. An implant post can also anchor one end of a dental bridge. Multiple posts and bridges can also be installed to replace whole rows of missing teeth or even all of a patient's teeth.

For more information about your treatment options, contact your dentist or visit sites like http://www.barnstabledental.com