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Fibre reinforced composite filling used to restore a fractured tooth

January 19, 2016 by Ian Kerr

This post shows how we can restore a very damaged tooth with a simple, direct fibre reinforced composite filling that can be placed in a single visit and can last for years.

Like so many teeth this tooth was filled from a young age with an amalgam filling which is still the commonest filling material used in the UK today. I am by no means an “amalgam hater” as it is still the quickest, cheapest way that we have of filling a hole in a tooth but it is also a material that stores up problems for us later on. Amalgam fillings are immensely strong but they offer none of this strength to the tooth. Instead, they transmit all of the chewing force through into the tooth and cause it to flex and crack around it. At first, these cracks are very small so the filling and the tooth can appear to be trouble free for years, but eventually the little cracks start to join up and form big cracks, which eventually lead to the tooth splitting or breaking apart like this one.

Often we will treat a damaged tooth like this with a cast metal or ceramic crown but sometimes this may not be the best choice or, at least, not the best choice right now.  There is no doubt that cast crowns can offer the best long-term service of any restoration that we provide in dentistry but they require additional removal of sound tooth tissue, take two visits to complete and involve the use of a dental technician to make them so inevitably cost more than a direct filling.

Fibre reinforced composite fillings offer great strength and aesthetics coupled with an ability to flex and move with the tooth under chewing load so reducing the stresses that lead to fractured teeth. They are not expected to last as long as a crown but if they can put off the need for a crown for, say, 10 years then they have provided the patient with a great service and prolonged the life of the tooth for many more years to come. At StoneRock Dental Care we are happy to provide fibre reinforced composites or cast crowns, overlays, onlays, inlays or veneers; whichever is the right restoration for you and your tooth.

 

This photo shows the amalgam filling and the gap where the cusp has broken away from the rest of the tooth
This photo shows the amalgam filling and the gap where the cusp has broken away from the rest of the tooth
This photo shows the full extent of the cavity once the old amalgam filling and a further fractured cusp have been removed
This photo shows the full extent of the cavity once the old amalgam filling and a further fractured cusp have been removed (the black dots show where the opposing teeth meet against these teeth)
This photo shows the tooth mid way through its rebuild. The central portion is filled with a fibre reinforced composite core
This photo shows the tooth mid way through its rebuild. The central portion is filled with a fibre reinforced composite core
This photo shows the tooth rebuilt and ready for use
This photo shows the tooth rebuilt and ready for use

If you are worried about broken teeth and would like to know if they can be restored like this then please do not hesitate to contact our Reception Team on 01580 752202 and we will be happy to help. If you want to know more about fibre reinforced composites, however, then please click on the link below.

What is Fibre Reinforced Composite?

Filed Under: News

About Ian Kerr

Dr Ian Kerr BDS qualified in 1989 from Newcastle University Dental School and has worked ever since in both private practice and hospital settings. Following a short stint in a busy general practice in the North East Dr Kerr went to live and work in Trinidad, where he learnt a wide range of surgical skills and developed an interest in the treatment of tempero-mandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). On returning to the UK in 1994 Dr Kerr worked in a prestigious private practice in Bromley in Kent. During his time there he completed extensive post graduate training in advanced restorative techniques and further advanced his interest in TMD.

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About StoneRock Dental Care

StoneRock Dental Care is a stunning dental practice in Hawkhurst, Nr Cranbrook on the Kent and East Sussex border. We provide every level of care, from routine family dental visits to complete cosmetic dental makeovers, including dental implants, teeth whitening, veneers, bridges and other cosmetic dental and facial aesthetic techniques.

We know how hard it can be to choose a dentist and we know how tough it can be to decide what treatment is right for you, therefore we put your comfort and your well being at the heart of every treatment that we provide.

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StoneRock Dental Care is a trading name of SR Moors Limited · Registered Office: Stonerock House, High Street, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4AG · Registered in England and Wales, Number: 6896953