Causes of tooth decay and best methods of recovery

Strong teeth ─ a sign of human health. Sometimes they crumble, break off, and these factors make you turn to a dentist to find out the causes of tooth decay. One of the important questions is how to restore the beauty and functionality of our teeth.

Restoration of teeth

Causes of tooth decay

  • Increased acidity in the mouth due to the waste products of bacteria “dissolve” the enamel, and then the dentin. The carious lesionincreases and healthy tissue becomes smaller.
  • Bruxism is the involuntary grinding of the teeth. The top layer is erased, and then layer after layer during the night rattle.
  • Insufficient content of calcium, minerals in the body. Due to unbalanced nutrition, hormonal changes, illness. It is necessary to restore the enamel on the teeth.
  • Excessive consumption of carbonated water containing phosphoric acid, sugar.
  • Poor oral hygiene. Without cleaning plaque and not getting rid of food debris between the teeth, it is possible to influence the growth of bacteria that secrete acid that softens the enamel.
  • Poor quality of dental care, or breach of sterility. If the infected tissue was not completely cleaned during the treatment, the growth of pathogenic flora continues under the filling.
  • The chewing load is distributed unevenly, which is why some teeth receive more of it, losing strength faster than others.
  • Injury, chip, crack.
  • Smoking.
  • Genetic predisposition.

Restoration of teeth is possible at any stage, at any age, regardless of an adult patient or a child. And the sooner you see a doctor, the faster and easier the unpleasant situation will be solved. Perhaps aesthetic restoration with fillings, or composite material, is enough. If time is lost or the defect is pronounced, the dentist will offer veneers or crowns.

When is it necessary to restore a tooth?

The tooth requires restoration if a piece of a tooth has broken off, a noticeable crack has appeared, or you can feel the roughness or cavity that has appeared with your tongue. Regardless of the causes of tooth decay: caries, trauma, you should consult a doctor. There are different types of aesthetic restoration and prosthetics to quickly regain confidence and smile.

What is the danger of tooth decay

Enamel is the hardest tissue in the body, but if it is subject to the initial stage of destruction, then the tooth becomes vulnerable. Cracks, chips, carious cavities break the integral protective layer, the dental walls become thin and continue to deplete, if dental treatment is not taken, you can lose a significant part of the tooth, up to the root.

Problems associated with tooth decay:

  • Disease of neighboring teeth and gums. Untreated teeth may be a potential carrier of infection.
  • Improper distribution of chewing pressure.
  • Mucosal injury by sharp edges of the tooth.
  • Change in bite.
  • Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Food is not chewed so thoroughly, which causes problems in digestion.
  • Impairment of tooth aesthetics.

Recovery Methods

Depending on the degree of destruction, restoration of teeth may involve several options:

  • Сomposite restoration. This is a filling, with which the lost tooth is built up. The composite material is applied in layers and polymerized and hardened under the action of UV lamps. Further, it is undermined under the anatomy of the tooth and bite and polished.
  • Dental inlay. With a significant loss of a tooth, more than ⅔, a ceramic or metal-ceramic inlay is used. It is made on the basis of a cast in the laboratory.
  • Veneer or lumineer. This method refers to micro-prosthetics and is used for anterior teeth. A thin overlay is glued to the outer surface of the tooth, covering all defects: from unwanted color, then cracks and diastemas.
  • Tooth enlargement on pins. When the crown part is completely destroyed, but the root is healthy, the tooth can be saved and restored using pins inserted into the dental canals. After their installation, the required height is increased with a composite material.
  • Crown. A cap imitating the crown part is put on the turned stump of the tooth. It can be made of metal, ceramics, zirconium dioxide, etc.
  • Removable or non-removable prosthesis, implantation. If it is impossible to put a crown, there is no tooth, there is no root, prosthetics and the installation of titanium pins can make up for the loss.

Restoration of enamel on the teeth will help in the very initial stage of the surface damage process. A specially applied product will help replenish the loss of phosphorus, calcium, fluorine and strengthen the natural protective barrier. Therefore, it is important to seek dental care immediately to avoid more complex and costly treatments and to eradicate the causes of tooth decay immediately.

Which restoration method to choose

The doctor can give an answer to this question after assessing the condition of the oral cavity. The patient will be offered one or more options and justify the choice.

  • Restoration of enamel on the teeth through remineralization at the initial stage of carious destruction.
  • Restoration with composite building-up with a slight chip, crack. A more expensive method, veneering, can also be chosen here.
  • micro prosthesis in the form of an inlay with a large area of ​​tooth loss, but the whole root, although it is possible to build up on pins.
  • Crown prosthetics, if other methods are ineffective.

Doctor’s recommendations

Do not turn a blind eye to the beginning of tooth decay, it is necessary to identify the cause and eliminate it. If it comes from the state of health, the endocrine system, the immune system, it is worth it to be examined and treated by a specialist. Sometimes the constant damage of enamel, gums is a signal that something is wrong. The body is trying to draw attention to itself in this way. Therefore, getting rid of the source of the problems, you can safely restore the enamel on the teeth and the teeth themselves. In today’s world, the patient has a choice of what to treat rather than what to restore.