At odds in the office over this issue! I say no b/c the tooth is going to continue to "rot" inside the cap- a few are saying they can be used! Please help resolve this issue!
2007-09-17 06:30:53 · 5 answers · asked by Haluai 3 in Health ➔ Dental
So far, two 'for' and two 'against' caps. As a dentist, let me assure you that caps(crowns) are a completely effective way to save decaying teeth. During the preparation of a tooth for a crown, a dentist removes all decay and prepares the tooth so that tha crown will form a seal to prevent further decay. Done properly, a crown can be expected to last for years. Unfortunately, any restorative material on teeth is unnatural and tends to be a plaque trap. Crowns require meticulous home care to prevent recurrent decay at the margin. My first crown was placed in 1995 and shows absolutely no sign of deterioration(It was placed not due to decay, but because of a fracture.)
2007-09-17 07:32:30 · answer #1 · answered by ponyboy 81 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Think of it as putting a new coat of paint on your rotting front porch. It will look good for a while but eventually the whole thing will crumble anyway and the money spent was wasted.
Also if the tooth is decaying at some point the cap will need to be removed to treat the decay problem and the abscess infection from it. There goes the money to waste again.
2007-09-17 14:02:07 · answer #2 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Before a dentist would install a cap he'd clean out all the decay.
I had a tooth that was so rotten it actually broke in pieces (above the gumline). The dentist cleaned out all the decay, built the tooth back up again with composite material, then put a cap over it. This was about 30 years ago and I still have it.
2007-09-17 13:39:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say the only way this is possible is for the decay to be removed. For example. My husband had a molar that had a large cavity in it and had broken off. The dentist filed away the decay and capped it. It has been fine since.
2007-09-17 13:42:22 · answer #4 · answered by Skeeter 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They can be used but will continue to rot inside the cap.
2007-09-17 13:39:43 · answer #5 · answered by veg_rose 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋