Tooth enamel is a very hard substance made up of a dense matrix of microscopic mineral crystals. This is what gives your teeth the necessary durability to handle a lifetime of biting and chewing. Your enamel also protects your teeth from decay.
But minor deviations in your tooth alignment or bite pattern can cause damage to your tooth enamel. Over time, this loss of enamel can create heightened sensitivity and an increased chance of tooth decay.
If the compromised area is too large for our dentists to treat it with an amalgam or composite dental filling they might recommend a dental crown restoration. This will essentially replace the entire tooth enamel layer with an alternate material.
The dental crown will need to be cemented onto an abutment made from the dentin of your tooth. The exact material they uses for the dental crown will depend on the tooth’s location in your mouth as well as how visible it will be when you smile. A porcelain dental crown is often used to restore an affected tooth that will be highly visible when you smile. This material can be shaded to match the surrounding teeth and mimic naturally white tooth enamel.
If you live in the Phillipsburg, New Jersey, area and you are concerned about one of your teeth, you should call 908-847-4498 to have it examined and treated at Adaptive Dental Associates.