Fillings, Crowns and Root Canals

Restorative work is a spectrum. A small cavity is a filling. A tooth that has lost enough structure may need a crown so what is left does not keep fracturing. A tooth where the nerve is infected or dying is a root canal question. Where your tooth sits on that spectrum is what the exam and x-rays are for, and it is a fair question to ask why the recommendation is one and not the other.

Two practical questions before booking. First: is root canal treatment done here, or referred to an endodontist, and does that change the cost or the wait. Second: what happens if the tooth flares up outside office hours, and is there a number that gets answered. Replacing a tooth that cannot be saved is a separate subject — dental implants and surgical tooth replacement are covered by a different site, so ask about that category when you call and you will be pointed the right way.

What this usually involves

• Fillings for cavities and small fractures
• Crowns for teeth that have lost structure
• Root canal treatment, in house or by referral
• Ask what the after-hours arrangement is
• Ask what the alternatives are, including waiting

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