Large fillings destabilize teeth and, over time, biting forces of the opposing teeth can cause cracks, breakage, inflamed roots and pain. Crowns should be placed onto teeth instead of large filling to avoid additional problems.
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Cracking at Base of Tooth | Fractured |
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Fractured, cracked tooth with decay seeping into root | Inflamed Root |
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Fractured | Healthy Tooth Supported by a Crown |
| Solution Instead of using a large filling, a crown is placed, giving the tooth more stability. | |
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Problem Stress of biting forces on an unrestored root canal treated tooth could cause a fracture in the root. | Solution A full coverage |
When a patient has a cavity (caries), the dentist must consider whether a composite restoration (filling) or a crown is the best option to repair the tooth. If the cavity is large, biting forces exerted on the tooth must be considered.
When a person chews, tremendous forces are exerted on the teeth. Up to 573 pounds can be exerted on the molar teeth! This is why it is so important for dental restorations to be strong enough to withstand those forces. Once a filling becomes too wide or too deep, the integrity of the tooth is compromised.
Large fillings destabilize teeth and, over time, biting forces from the opposing teeth can cause cracks, breakage, inflamed roots and pain.
Biting forces can cause the tooth to crack at the base. Decay can occur causing tooth to fracture.
Complete crowns are restorations that cover the entire tooth. They offer a better option by providing more stability than a large filling.
