FAQ's

What are tooth colored fillings made of?
Tooth colored/white fillings are made of a light cured resin. In other words the filling is initially a soft putty-like resin that gets hardened in the mouth with a blue (curing) light.

Do tooth colored fillings last as long as silver fillings?
Some tooth colored fillings if performed properly may last as long

as silver fillings. The compression and bonding strength of resin materials has improved dramatically over the years thereby increasing their life span.

Should I change all my silver fillings to tooth colored fillings?
Unless there is a cavity or cracks in old silver amalgam fillings it is not usually recommended to change all the silver fillings to tooth colored fillings. The actual drilling process to remove silver fillings may be irritating to the tooth so unless it’s necessary it is not advisable to undergo unnecessary dental treatment.

Why should I get an onlay instead of a tooth colored filling?
There are some cases when there is insufficient tooth structure left to sustain a regular filling therefore an onlay will be recommended. When there are cavities in between teeth, the best and most conservative restoration is an onlay. An onlay seals the tooth better than any conventional filling and also attains the best contact thereby reducing the need for replacement in the future.

How long do onlays last?
An onlay may last as long as crowns do with proper dental maintenance (i.e flossing and regular check ups and cleanings). The life span of an onlay may be 5-10 years or longer.

Should I just get a crown instead of an onlay?
An onlay is more conservative than a crown. The tooth structure is preserved and only the part that is missing from the tooth (i.e. the cavity) is restored with the onlay, the rest of the tooth is not drilled down. If there is still sufficient tooth structure left onlays are recommended because drilling a relatively healthy tooth down is not necessary.

Will I need a root canal before a crown?
No, a root canal is not always necessary to be performed should you need a crown. Crowns are sometimes performed in order to avoid root canals by preventing further fracture of a tooth or filling and preventing leakage of an existing filling.

Is a crown permanent or does it come out?
A crown is permanent/non-removable. The crown is permanently cemented onto the tooth and therefore should not come out.

How long will crowns last?
Crowns may last anywhere from 5-10 years and many times longer if the patient maintains proper dental care.

What if I need a root canal after?
There may be times when a root canal is necessary after a crown has been cemented. In such cases the crown may be tapped off the tooth and have the root canal performed then the crown is recemented. If the crown cannot be removed, the root canal may still be performed by drilling a hole into the crown and still preserving the crown.

Is a crown harder to take care of?
Crowns are a little harder to maintain than natural teeth, but with proper flossing, brushing and maintenance visits patients usually have no problem taking care of their crowns.

Do crowns look like real teeth?
Yes, crowns are custom made to match your existing teeth.

Do root canals hurt?
In most cases root canals do not hurt. The pain associated with root canals is due to an infection or an irritated nerve and this pain precedes the root canal. The root canal procedure removes the nerve and cleans out the infection, therefore root canal usually get rid of the pain.

How many visits are necessary for a root canal?
Usually 1-2 visits may be necessary to complete a root canal.

Will my tooth change color following a root canal?
Yes, in most cases a tooth does darken over time following a root canal because the tooth is no longer vital; however, the tooth may be bleached internally or restored with a crown or veneer to correct this.

Will I be able to go back to work?
Yes, following the root canal procedure you will still have anesthesia; therefore, not experience any pain or swelling and getting back to work is not contraindicated.

Does that mean that I keep my tooth?
Yes, the root canal procedure is performed to allow you to keep your tooth. Only the nerve and blood supply to the tooth are removed but the rest of the tooth remains.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just extract the tooth?
Extracting a tooth may sometimes be more difficult and painful. Additionally when a tooth is extracted, the adjacent teeth start to shift and thereby cause more problems in the long run. Replacing that tooth will also be more costly instead of performing the root canal.

Will I need a crown afterwards?
In most cases, crowns are necessary following root canal procedure in order to restore the tooth to proper function and esthetics. Following a root canal the tooth becomes more brittle and more likely to fracture and having a crown performed afterwards prevents this.

Are bridges harder to maintain than natural teeth or implant teeth?
Yes bridges are more difficult to maintain because flossing is more difficult for the patient. Special dental floss devices will be given to the patient for proper maintenance of bridges.

Are implants better than bridges?
In most cases implants are better restorations than bridges because implants are easier to maintain than bridges: however, not all patients are good candidates to receive implants. Sometimes due to a patients oral anatomy implant placement is not advisable. In turn bridges may also not be advisable to some patients due to the condition of the adjacent teeth. A thorough evaluation is necessary before recommending either of these options.

How soon after an extraction should a bridge be made?
Approximately 4-6 weeks following an extraction a bridge should be fabricated in order to prevent any shifting of the adjacent teeth. It also takes about that amount of time for an extraction socket to heal adequately; however, a temporary bridge can be started immediately after the extraction to replace the missing tooth. The final bridge should be cemented in about 4-6 weeks.

How long do bridges last?
If maintained properly bridges last about 5-10 years and sometimes longer.