Oral issues such as cavities, discoloration, gum diseases, and other oral infections can ruin the oral health of a person. Out of all such oral conditions, a root canal infection is one of the most painful and complicated conditions that would require immediate attention.

What is a root canal infection?

The root canal is “life of the tooth”. It is filled with nerves and blood vessels that are responsible for the sensitivity of the tooth and providing nourishment to it. When a tooth develops a cavity or an infection, it could end up damaging the pulp of the tooth, causing a root canal infection.

What are the causes and symptoms of a root canal infection?

• The most common cause of a root canal infection is decay. The accumulated bacteria that release acids which can erode the enamel. This causes a cavity, and when left untreated for a long time, the infection could spread to the pulp, causing a root canal infection.
• Sometimes, when the patient suffers an external injury to the mouth, it could fracture or crack a tooth. This can provide an opening for the microbes in the mouth to enter the root canal cavity and infect it.
• In certain cases, gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis can also lead to such an infection.

The symptoms of a root canal infection include:

• Extreme pain near the infected tooth and surrounding gums when you bite or chew food.
• Release of pus and formation of abscess near the tooth. Sometimes, bleeding may also be encountered.
• When the infection is left untreated for long, it could spread to the gums and jawbone as well. This can cause decay of gums, loosening of the tooth from its socket and possible jawbone deterioration.

Treatment

Early detection and treatment usually help to save a tooth that has been badly infected.

A small hole will be made on the infected tooth to gain access to the pulp. Dental files of different sizes will be used to extract the infected tissues and to scrub the walls of the cavity. A jet of water will be used to rinse out the cavity completely and to remove any remaining debris. Finally, the hole will be sealed off using a filling material after the dentist places a small amount of medication in the cavity to prevent re-infection.

Since the blood vessels are removed from the tooth, it wouldn’t have any nourishment, and hence, could easily fail. The tooth will be covered using a restoration, preferably a porcelain crown in order to prevent it from crumbling.

Oral cavities are a major letdown as they ruin the appearance of the smile and also lead to immense pain. It is best to get such teeth restored at the earliest to prevent further complications. This is why we offer the option of restoring cavity-infected teeth.

What is a dental filling?

A dental filling is a material that is applied to a cavity to fill it and get rid of the bacteria. With its help, a decayed tooth can be brought back to its original contour, functionality, and appearance. Before a filling is applied, the cavity will be cleaned and disinfected, thereby halting the spread of the cavity.

What are the different filling materials?

Fillings have been around for a long time now, which is why several options for filling cavities are available. Some of the most prominent ones are as follows:

• Amalgam fillings:Amalgam fillings are a mixture of mercury and other compatible metals. They offer amazing sealing properties and prevent the entry of oral bacteria into the area of decay. However, their appearance doesn’t blend in with that of the natural tooth enamel and stands out as a shiny surface. Also, the risk of enduring a toxic infection due to mercury’s nature is high.
• Composite fillings:Composite fillings are resinous in nature and can be made to closely match the color of the enamel. They are applied to the cavity, shaped according to the contour of the tooth and are hardened using a curing light.
• Tooth-colored ceramic fillings:Ceramic fillings are probably the best type of fillings as they are more resistant to staining and wear. They do not discolor too easily and usually last for upwards of 10 years with the proper care.

Why should you choose a filling?

• Fillings perfectly restore the aesthetics of the smile by bringing the teeth back to their original form and shape. No one would know that you have got a filling due to its excellent appearance.
• They prevent the spread of the infection to the root canal, gums and other teeth by sealing off the cavity completely.
• They exhibit high durability and usually last for several years with proper care.

How is a filling done?

The dentist would initially screen the tooth to determine the extent of decay. The decay will be removed and the walls of the cavity will be scrubbed to get rid of the microbes. Once it is disinfected, the filling material will be prepared. It will be made to match the exact color of the tooth, applied on the cavity and shaped accordingly. A curing light will be used to harden the applied filling. Any adjustments, if required, will be made.

Missing teeth can be very disadvantageous, both from the aesthetic and functional point of view. A missing front tooth can rob you of your self-confidence and leave you feeling too conscious while talking to people. There are the functional drawbacks as well. The way you bite and chew food, pronounce words, etc. can be affected. This is why dentists recommend their patients to get their missing teeth restored at the earliest.

What is a dental bridge?

A dental bridge is one of the simplest prosthetics that is used to replace a missing tooth. It is composed of a ceramic prosthetic tooth and two dental crowns (caps) on either side to hold it in position. The restoration will effectively replace the missing tooth.

Why should I choose a bridge?

• A dental bridge restores the functionality of the smile. Since it is made from a ceramic prosthetic that is tooth-colored, it would look exactly like a real tooth and no one would ever know it unless you tell them.
• When a tooth goes missing, the adjoining teeth tend to drift from their positions. This can lead to malocclusion and change in the shape of the jawbone as well. However, when a bridge is placed, the teeth would not drift and the facial shape would be retained.
• The biting and chewing ability of a person would be restored to normal. Also, the patient would be able to pronounce words like before.

How is the procedure performed?

The procedure to get a dental bridge involves initial screening of the tooth-loss site to check for any infections, drifting of teeth, malocclusion, jawbone deterioration, etc. A mold of the teeth will be taken along with scans and x-rays to determine the exact positioning of the missing tooth and the spacing available for the bridge. The data obtained will be sent to a dental laboratory to serve as a reference for fabricating the bridge. Until the bridge is finished, which usually take up to 2 weeks, a temporary crown may be recommended by the dentist.

The bridge and crowns will be fabricated in the laboratory using dental-grade ceramic as it is highly durable, stain resistant and can be made to match the exact shade of the enamel. The bridge will be placed in position and secured firmly with the help of dental adhesives. A bite test may be done to ensure the bridge fits perfectly and the patient has no discomfort with the bite.

Losing a few or all of the teeth can put a person at a psychological, as well as a functional disadvantage. The patient wouldn’t be able to bite or chew food as they used to earlier, and their phonetics also takes a hit. This is why dentists advise patients with missing teeth to get them restored using prosthetic ones for better aesthetics and functionality of the mouth.

How can missing teeth be disadvantageous?

• Missing teeth can leave gaps in the smile. People who miss a few teeth may feel excessively conscious about their appearance while interacting with people.
• A gap between the teeth allows the remaining teeth to drift from their positions. This can alter the facial shape, the bite of a person and leave the teeth misaligned.
• Biting and chewing food would become increasingly difficult for patients with missing teeth. This can often apply a lot of unwanted forces on the adjoining teeth and cause pain in the jaws, head, neck, and shoulders.

What are dentures?

Dentures are one of the best solutions to replace missing teeth. They are ceramic prosthetic teeth held firmly using acrylic material, that also acts as the replacement of gum tissues. Metal components may also be used to hold the dentures in shape. Depending on the number of missing teeth to be replaced, they can be fabricated either as partial dentures or complete dentures.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are used to replace only a few selected teeth. Dentists use partial dentures to restore them. In most cases, they would be a combination of a metal framework combined with gum-colored acrylic and tooth-colored ceramic teeth.

Complete dentures

Complete dentures replace all the missing teeth. They will be fabricated to fit in the mouth and offer function and aesthetics. The patient can comfortably wear them and bite and chew food, pose for pictures, etc. Whenever you need to clean your mouth, you can easily take them off, clean your mouth, clean the dentures and put them back on.

Why should you choose dentures?

• Dentures help a patient to regain their facial shape which would’ve been lost due to missing teeth. The face would look fuller and younger.
• With dentures, the functionality of the mouth would be restored close to normal.
• They are removable and you can take them off whenever you need to.
• They are very durable and strong. With proper care, they usually last for several years.

Dental crowns are prosthetic appliances that are used to cover an entire tooth. They are made from tooth-colored ceramic and are used to restore teeth that are worn-out, cracked, fractured, chipped, misshapen, etc.

What are the applications of dental crowns?

Dental crowns can be used to restore teeth that are affected due to various internal and external causes. Some of them are as follows:

• Worn out teeth:Teeth can experience severe wear due to teeth grinding, excessive chewing of hard foods, etc. This can cause the enamel to erode, leading to shortening of the teeth, which can be restored using crowns.
• Cracked teeth:External injury to the mouth could damage the teeth and crack them. If left untreated, they can lead to further infections and the tooth may completely fail. A crown would cover the tooth in its entirety and ensure that it doesn’t fracture completely.
• Chipped/misshapen teeth:Misshapen teeth are the ones that are naturally out of shape. Such teeth or the ones that have chipped due to an external force could ruin the appearance of the smile. When covered using a dental crown, such teeth can be restored to their desired contour.
• Excessively spaced teeth:One of the types of malocclusion is spacing, which is characterized by teeth that are spaced too far away from each other. Crowns can be used to reduce the teeth and make them appear more aesthetically pleasing.

Why should you choose crowns?

• Crowns perfectly mimic the appearance or a real tooth since they are made from a tooth-colored ceramic material.
• Crowns offer excellent durability and longevity. They do not wear easily even after continuous usage and last for several years with proper care.
• The biting surface of a tooth will be restored back to normal. This allows you to bite and chew food effectively.
• They help to hold weak teeth intact and prevent their failure.

Tooth decay is one of the most common oral issues caused by caused by bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria release acids that have the potential to erode the enamel, leading to cavities. Cavities are one of the leading causes of tooth extraction around the world.

A severely infected tooth is most often treated using filling material. Usually, tooth-colored ceramic/composite fillings are used to fill cavities and they are pretty efficient at solving the issue. When the condition gets even worse, the cavity could progress on to the root canal cavity, where the dental pulp will be infected, causing severe pain and bleeding. A root canal therapy is the last resort method of saving a badly infected tooth, which if unsuccessful, would lead to a tooth extraction

Restore a decayed tooth using a dental implant

A decayed tooth can prove highly disadvantageous, especially in terms of facial aesthetics and functionality. Also, the pain and hypersensitivity that it can induce are immense. When no means of treatment can to save the tooth, it will have to be extracted to prevent the infection from spreading to the nearby teeth and tissues.

A dental implant is usually the best solution to replace an extracted tooth. It would replace both the tooth root and the crown, which is why it is known to prevent the drifting of the remaining teeth. Since it is made from ceramic and titanium, there is absolutely no chance of your prosthetic tooth getting infected by tooth decay. Also, its aesthetics is so flawless that anyone who would look at you smile wouldn’t have the faintest idea that you have an implant on.

When it comes to the functionality of the implants, they offer amazing strength and stability. The ceramic material that is used to fabricate the crown is highly stain-resistant and durable. This makes them long-lasting and reliable.