Porcelain and plastic more closely match the natural tooth appearance, and may be preferred for front teeth. Crowns are used if decay is extensive because multiple fillings increase the risk of the tooth breaking. Crowns are often made of gold or porcelain. The roots are filled with a sealing material. The tooth is filled and a crown may be placed over the tooth.
Early treatment is less painful and less expensive than treatment of extensive decay.
Call your dentist for a routine cleaning and examination if you have not had one in the last 6 months to 1 year. A cross section illustration of the tooth. The gums are shown in pink and the bone is yellow. Both baby and permanent teeth have fairly well defined times of eruption. The ages listed are the normal ages that a tooth emerges.