Our teeth are important to us, and many of us try our best to look after them. But even if you have pristine dental hygiene and avoid any bad habits, teeth don’t last forever. Most people will see a time when they need some sort of dental treatment, whether it’s a filling for a cavity or a replacement for a lost tooth. No one wants to think about their teeth being damaged, but sometimes it’s a problem you need to face. When the time comes to have some work done on your teeth, it will help to know what your options are. People who are nervous at the dentist will find it especially comforting to inform themselves.
Fillings
Fillings are an extremely common type of dental work, which most people will have at some point in their lives. General wear and tear, as well as our diets, can contribute to cavities that require fillings. Putting them in is very simple and doesn’t usually take very long. Usually, fillings are amalgams, made from a mixture of metals. These can include copper, zinc, mercury and silver. However, they can also be made from porcelain and other materials. You can ask your dentist about the best material to use.
Implants
Losing one or more teeth can be a terrible blow to your self-confidence. Often people are nervous to smile once they have a tooth missing, and they want to fix it as soon as possible. Some people have dentures made, for either one or more teeth, but you can also have permanent implants. Harrell Dental Implants and other specialists can make a tooth and the piece to hold it in place. You could get a single tooth implant, which will go in your gum. You can also have a bridge for several teeth.
Crowns
If one of your teeth is worn down or decayed, you can also have a crown fitted to make it look and feel better. The cap covers your real tooth to improve its appearance. Your tooth needs to be drilled down, and then measured so that the dental technician can make you a crown to go over it. You might decide to have a crown because of damage to your teeth or just because you want them to look better. You could have it done for one tooth or more.
Dentures
Instead of dental implants, you can have dentures made, which you can remove. You can either have a full set or you can have just a few teeth replaced with false ones. The dentist will need to take an impression of your gums to have dentures custom made for you. If you don’t like the irritation and other problems your dentures cause, you can also have implant-supported dentures that you snap on.
Although there are other treatments you might experience at the dentists, these are some of the most common for damaged teeth. If going to the dentist makes you nervous, it can help to go for more routine procedures like checkups and clean-and-polishes.
