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Many things can cause a tooth to break. Sometimes a severe fracture can occur that will cause the tooth to spit. Severe tooth decay can also cause the tooth to split. In many cases when this happens, there is insufficient tooth mass to support a porcelain crown. The tooth can still be saved from extraction, however. Houston cosmetic dentists can use a post and core to restore the tooth.
A post and core works by anchoring the tooth with a metal post which is surrounded by cosmetic dental filling material. This material is known as a core, and it hardens between the post and the tooth, filling in the missing surface area and creating a reliable chewing surface. Due to the fact that it relies upon a metal post embedded in the tooth itself, a post and core can only be placed in a tooth that has undergone a root canal.
A Houston cosmetic dentist will recommend placing a post and core when more than half of the crown has been lost. Most posts are manufactured from biofriendly, stainless steel titanium. Some are manufactured from metal free carbon fiber posts.
Prior to placing a post and core, a Houston cosmetic dentist must first perform a root canal on the tooth. This eliminates the source of infection and shapes the tooth so that the dental post can be placed within it.
The cosmetic dentist uses a special hand tool called a dental file that creates a post space at the top of the root canal. This space follows the path of the filling material that will be used to reconstruct the tooth. The dentist then creates a custom-sized post that exactly matches this prepared space. Once this post is in position, it is cemented in place.
The cosmetic dentist then applies cosmetic restorative material to the top and sides of the post. This material quickly adapts to the natural contours of the tooth and the anchoring post to create new surface area for the tooth.
When the material hardens, the dentist then shapes it so it can be fitted with a dental crown. He or she also takes impressions of the teeth. These impressions are sent to a lab, which uses them to custom-fit a crown to that particular tooth.
A temporary crown will be needed while the patient waits for the lab to complete the permanent crown. This temporary will protect the new post and core, and it will also keep the tooth in alignment with other teeth. When the patient returns for the second appointment, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and replace it with a permanent crown.
There are many benefits that placing a post and core offers a patient who has suffered from severe tooth damage. These benefits include:
· More support for remaining tooth structure
· A much better anchor to support a dental crown
· Better crown retention
The placement of a post and core is an excellent way to save a tooth that has been severely damaged by tooth decay or fracture.
Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont, Midland and Houston, Texas to see Dr. Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth O’Sullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic dentistry services
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