Fillings, Crowns, and Implants

Introduction

Damaged teeth are common but often go unnoticed, or the consequences are ignored or at best underestimated. Damage is usually traumatic and is most commonly seen following excessive tug-of-war games with abrasive or breakable toys. The importance of a thorough medical examination that includes assess- ment of the oral cavity, combined with a good understanding of the potential consequences of dental trauma, cannot be over-emphasized. Advances in dental treatments have enabled easier access to modern surgical techniques to preserve, strengthen, or replace damaged or missing teeth. The practitioner should be familiar with these options, be capable of making an accurate diagnosis, and be able to formulate a therapeutic plan. 

Key Points

• Dental trauma is synonymous with facial pain, but the latter is often underestimated; treatment should be implemented as early as possible.

• Root canal treatment is generally satisfactory, although the period between injury and treatment is an important prognostic factor.

• Intra-oral radiography is the preferred diagnostic test, allowing accurate assessment of a lesion and enabling each step of the therapeutic process to be monitored. Long-term radiographic follow-up is always recommended.

• The advantages of dental prostheses are often underestimated, but they must always be used appropriately and only after effective endodontal and periodontal treatment.

• When considering use of an implant, careful evaluation of the mechanical forces in play is essential.