While no one wants to deal with the intricacies of dental image, this sometimes becomes necessary. The type of treatment that is necessary will heavily depend on the extent of damage you’re experiencing. Keep reading to get more information from our Toluca Lake dentists…
The first thing to understand is that teeth are actually comprised of different layers; which layer of the tooth is affected will determine what type of restorative treatment is right for you moving forward. Three layers of tooth structure are:
- Dental enamel
The outermost, white covering of the tooth. This is the most resilient dental layers. And, because it doesn’t contain any nerves, it’s ideal for protecting the rest of the tooth.
- Dentin
This layer of the tooth sits blow the enamel. It is more porous, and thus more sensitive, than enamel. It’s also yellower in color, which means that, when it is quite visible, it can make your smile look older.
- Dental pulp
The innermost layer of the tooth has nerves, tissues, and roots. This is the only part of the tooth that is “living,” so to say. If you are experiencing tooth pain, it is likely because your dental pulp is exposed or infected.
The type of treatment that you require will depend on how thoroughly the infection or damage you’re dealing with has spread.
Damage that is confined to the enamel, for example, may benefit from only a simple filling to correct. As deeper layers of the tooth are affected, you may require a dental restoration to rebuild compromised tooth structure, or even root canal therapy, to clear away the inner core of the tooth.
The goal of any restorative treatment is, of course, to repair the tooth so that it looks great and functions well again. However, an equally important objective of treatment is to stop the spread of an infection. It is so important to treat oral health issues in a timely manner for this very reason.
The most important thing is that you don’t let any type of dental infection linger. Seek treatment right away, and please feel free to reach out to our Toluca Lake dentists to get more information and support!