How different parts of the tooth can be compromised in different ways.
A tooth is essentially made up of three parts; the enamel, the dentin and the pulp. Each of these are susceptible to different dental problems and we discuss these and the corrective treatments that we provide at our convenient Bristol dentists below.
Enamel
The enamel of the tooth is the hard exterior, or the shell if you prefer. It is, in effect, the protector of the more sensitive parts of the tooth and, as such, it is important to keep it strong and healthy. Provided this is done, the chances of other dental issues occurring is reduced.
Cleaning and flossing the teeth are important and failure to do so may cause the enamel to decay. When this happens, it may break off and leave the inner parts of the tooth exposed and open to infection.
At Beau Monde Dental Care, we repair any teeth that have decay by removing the decayed part of the tooth and filling this with a strong tooth coloured filling which will help to protect the tooth. The use of tooth coloured fillings, rather than amalgam, also leaves the teeth looking natural.
Dentin
The dentin is the soft part of the tooth just underneath the enamel. It also contains fine tubules which connect to the pulp area and is strongly related to how some people suffer from ‘sensitive’ teeth.
The dentin can be exposed when the enamel becomes damaged and is repaired in the same manner, by using a tooth coloured filling.
Where there is significant damage to the tooth, then a crown may be used instead to give the tooth additional strength.
Pulp
The pulp is based in the centre of the tooth and is where dental pain originates. This is due to the fact that not only does this part of the tooth contain tiny blood vessels but also the nerves.
Pain is normally felt when the pulp of the tooth becomes infected. When this happens, one of the most common ways in which it can be treated is root canal treatment.
Despite its reputation, this is not a procedure to be feared and should cause no more discomfort than you would expect from any invasive dental procedure.
Essentially, during the procedure, the top of the tooth is removed along with the infected pulp. The hollow tooth is then cleaned and filled before a crown is added to the tooth to fully restore it.
As caring Bristol dentists, we do all that we can, through education and regular check-ups, to help prevent the problems above. However, when problems do occur, we are always on hand to help. Simply call Beau Monde Dental Care of Bristol on 0117 330 3495 and we will make an appointment for you to come and see us.