There are a number of reasons (trauma, caries, short crown) why only the root and a small part of the crown remain from the tooth, and the rest of the dental tissue is lost. Until recently, in this case, fillings, a prosthesis were installed, or a tooth was removed. Currently, it is possible to use restoration options that allow you to recreate the original appearance of the tooth. The restored tooth looks natural and aesthetically pleasing. An important condition is that the root must be intact. Computer technology is used to create a copy of the crown of a future tooth.
Indications and contraindications for tooth augmentation
Teeth augmentation is a multi-stage technology for restoring the aesthetic appearance and functions of the jaw, which was susceptible to chipping or erased as a result of increased tone of the masticatory muscles, called buxism.
Indications for the tooth augmentation procedure:
- chips resulting from injuries;
- numerous caries lesions;
- large distance between teeth;
- wedge-shaped defect;
- the presence of a gap between the two front teeth;
- congenital structural pathologies;
- thinning and demineralization of enamel due to consumption of junk food and lack of oral hygiene;
- cervical caries;
- the presence of errors in previous dental sessions that resulted in the destruction of healthy tissue;
- malocclusion.
Having asked the dentist a question about what tooth extension is called, the patient will immediately hear the answer. The procedure is called dentition restoration. Modern extension technologies make it possible to restore the structure in most cases without resorting to its removal. The procedure is harmless, but has a number of contraindications:
- patient age – more than 60 years;
- children's age when using pins;
- presence of a cyst;
- inflammation of the gums;
- pregnancy in the first or third trimester;
- failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
- periodontitis and stomatitis;
- jaw fracture and other injuries.
If a patient is diagnosed with diseases that are contraindications, the dentist first treats them, and then restores the dentition.
In what cases is extension applied?
Despite the fact that tooth tissues have high density and strength, they can be destroyed for various reasons.
Firstly, pulpless teeth are often subject to destruction. Once the nerves are removed, they are no longer supplied with nutrition, their tissues demineralize and become fragile. Fragments can break off from the edges or chewing surface, and subsequently the teeth can become significantly damaged.
Secondly, teeth can be severely damaged from sports or household trauma, from chewing or biting off very hard food. In such cases, small chips of the edges, chewing surfaces, and cracks are common [2]. Children's front teeth often suffer due to accidental injuries.
In these cases, tooth augmentation helps restore the lost part of a broken tooth, in which the missing fragments are molded by a specialist from a composite material [2]. Front teeth augmentation is also successfully used in pediatric dentistry, where, thanks to modern materials and methods, pediatric specialists are able to restore a damaged tooth, which reliably serves the little patient until it is replaced with a permanent one.
Some dental procedures may expose the root. In this case, extensions help cover the sensitive area.
In addition, the extension procedure is also used in aesthetic dentistry to eliminate certain defects. Among them [3].
- difference due to anatomical and physiological characteristics of the shape, size, length of an individual tooth in a row;
- difference in tooth color;
- the presence of large interdental spaces;
- defects in the closure of the dentition.
Dental bonding is the most appropriate way to restore chipped teeth
“The 8 Best Ways to Improve Your Smile” American Dental Association
Teeth extension methods
There are 2 main extension methods:
- Straight. Used if tooth decay is up to 30%. During the procedure, composite or photopolymer materials are used to build teeth. The former are less durable and harden after 30 minutes. The latter have a service life of 10 years and remain plastic until exposed to the lamp.
- Indirect. Applicable when damage affects no more than 70% of the structure. The method has several stages, including taking impressions, making and installing ceramic inlays.
If you have ever thought about whether a crown or extension is better, then you should know that a crown is installed when more than 70% of the tissue is destroyed, but a intact and healthy root remains.
Is it possible to grow a tooth without a root?
If a tooth is without a root, there is no support for building structures. Therefore, it can only be restored with the help of implantation or prosthetics.
- Implantation. It involves restoring a lost tooth by installing an implant into the jaw, which acts as a tooth root. The top of the implant is covered with a crown.
- Dental bridge. It is a prosthetic structure consisting of several crowns welded together. The outer ones are attached to the pre-ground teeth adjacent to the defect, while the central ones remain hinged.
- Removable prosthesis Butterfly. Refers to temporary removable dentures. Indicated for hiding an aesthetic defect during the period of implantation or the manufacture of a permanent prosthesis. However, if the patient has contraindications to implantation and basic prosthetic methods, it can be used long-term. Attached to adjacent teeth using clasps.
Features of front teeth extensions
Restoration of anterior teeth is carried out in the following cases:
- Yellowing of enamel;
- Damage to caries;
- Minor curvature;
- Presence of chips or chips;
- Grayish-yellow coating.
Composites and photopolymers are used for extensions, but veneers are the most popular. They are used for minor damage to healthy tissue. If the tooth body is deeply damaged, it is removed from the roots and an implant is implanted in its place. Types of veneers presented in our clinic: composite veneers, ceramic veneers.
Chips of baby teeth often occur in childhood. Many parents do not pay attention to this, hoping for the speedy growth of indigenous children. This is wrong, as the sharp edges scratch the tongue, causing inflammation and infection. Children's extensions are made using composite materials and are absolutely painless.
Disadvantages of augmented teeth
One of the main disadvantages of restorations is their tendency to darken and lose shine over time. Fillings and restorations made from light-polymer filling materials, unfortunately, tend to gradually darken. If on the chewing teeth, located in the depths of the oral cavity, darkening is not noticeable, then on the front teeth this fact becomes obvious. Therefore, restorations require dynamic monitoring, polishing and timely replacement.
The next one is the risk of chipping the restorations. When restoration is performed on a pulpless tooth that has decayed by more than ½, the risk of its breakage is quite high. This is due to the fact that, in some cases, pulpless teeth are more fragile compared to living ones.
Especially often, specialists are faced with a chip of a previously restored tooth when the entire crown of the tooth has been restored. Part of the tooth may break off if the chewing load sharply exceeds the strength limit of the restored structure. Sometimes this causes a fracture of its root.
Tooth extension onto a pin
When thinking about whether it is possible to build a tooth onto the root, the use of a pin comes to mind. It is used if both the body and the root are severely damaged.
The procedure includes:
- obtaining an x-ray;
- cleaning the mouth, removing stones;
- removal of damaged areas;
- computer tooth modeling;
- removal of saliva;
- anesthesia;
- cleaning of channels;
- implantation of a pin, cleansing the area around it;
- filling the space around the pin with a composite or photopolymer;
- polishing and grinding.
Dentists build up teeth under crowns only if the remainder is in good condition and does not rot or decompose.
Which restoration method to choose?
There is no clear answer here for obvious reasons. It all depends on the degree of damage that the crown and root have. If we talk about the direct method, it is as gentle as possible, since its implementation does not require first removing the nerves. The composite material is applied to the crown in layers. At the same time, the tooth is still “alive” and is able to perform its original functions.
It is not possible to use the indirect method without first removing the nerves. An orthopedist implants inlays and pins into the root canals of a tooth with a dead nerve, after which a layer-by-layer application of composite material is performed. If the patient has significant damage to the crown, this extension option is the only possible one.
Does it hurt to grow teeth?
Tooth extension is a painless procedure. Anesthesia is not performed if the damage is not significant, since manipulations are carried out at a superficial level. If the damage is severe, the dentist administers local anesthesia. Modern drugs begin to act immediately after administration.
After the session, the first day you may experience pain if the canals were cleaned. Painkillers will help you feel better.
The restored dentition will last a long time if the patient provides proper care. If the question arises about whether it is possible to smoke after tooth extensions, the answer will be negative. Composite and photopolymer materials quickly absorb all substances, which is why the filling quickly changes color. Maintaining hygiene and regular visits to the dentist will help you maintain your smile for a long time.
What should you do first if a tooth is damaged?
Of course, if you receive slight damage to the enamel or detect microcracks, you should not escalate the situation and immediately run to the 24-hour dental care office; just make an appointment with the dentist on any convenient date. But in case of moderate or severe tooth defects, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible, having first provided first aid to yourself.
Cold compress for a damaged tooth
To do this, you need to rinse your mouth with a saline or soda solution to remove any remaining food, in case of serious damage, apply a cool compress that will prevent swelling, and in case of gum injury, use a disinfectant pad with hydrogen peroxide. If the pain is severe and there are no contraindications, a painkiller will come to the rescue. And then – straight to the doctor!
How long does dental prosthetics take?
Stages of dental prosthetics
Timing of dental prosthetics
What to do after prosthetics?
Today, dentists are ready to offer various options for smile restoration - implantation, inlays, crowns, bridges, removable/fixed dentures, veneers. Prosthetics are done for various reasons, but many are interested in the question: how long does dental prosthetics take?
Remove or cure
Only a doctor will be able to make a final conclusion about the possibility of restoring a tooth if its crown part is destroyed and the root is preserved. To do this, the doctor will definitely order an x-ray examination, which will make sure that there is no cyst or focus of the inflammatory process in the tissues. If they are detected, it is also recommended to remove the tooth root.
Sometimes the root of a tooth can be saved thanks to a timely course of treatment. Successful therapy at the acute stage of pathology requires multiple visits to a specialist. During this time, the doctor removes dead areas of the pulp and treats the root system with special antiseptics. After a few days, you can begin root canal treatment by adding medications.
During further visits to the clinic, the dentist must make sure that there is no progressive inflammatory process. If suppuration occurs, root restoration may require several more months of therapy. Only after this can we talk about building up the missing crown part of the tooth.
