Restorative Dentistry Tampa, FL

When dental decay develops in a tooth, we must remove it as soon as possible. Failure to do so will allow the decay time to travel further into the tooth and eventually into the pulp (nerve) chamber. When this happens, you have two options: Restore the tooth with root canal therapy or extract the tooth.

Your Tampa dentist wants to help you prevent major dental issues, so they recommend removing decay as early as possible and filling the tooth with composite filling material.

In some cases, we can use composite filling material to repair teeth that aren’t decayed but that are broken or chipped. The filling material can restore the tooth’s appearance and provide stability to prevent further breakdown.

When the tooth’s pulp is infected or irritated, the tooth cannot be repaired with a simple filling. If your Tampa dentist determines that the nerve is damaged, they’ll need to perform root canal therapy. During this procedure, the dentist will remove the damaged or dead pulp tissue, disinfect the pulp chamber and root canals, and fill those areas with gutta-percha. A crown will need to be placed over the tooth for added support to fortify the tooth for the long term.

Dental crowns are restorations that fit over the tooth. They restore teeth with large fillings, deep dental decay, or fractured cusps. A crown adds strength and structure, protecting the remaining tooth structure from further damage.

If you’re missing a tooth, you can replace it with a dental bridge. A bridge consists of three fused components: Two abutment crowns that fit over the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth and a pontic (fake tooth) to fill the empty space. A dental bridge can prevent teeth from shifting, reducing your risk of malocclusion, damage to other teeth, and TMJ disorder.