If you need restorative dental treatments for damaged or decaying teeth, your dentist may either recommend fillings or crowns. These treatments have some similarities but are used to treat different problems and use different materials. Here’s what you should know about these two restorative treatments.

What Do Fillings Treat?

Fillings are typically made of composite, a tooth-colored substance that is used to repair cavities and small chips in the tooth. Composite has a paste-like texture but then hardens. It provides a natural look and feel, and you’ll forget about your composite fillings soon after your procedure. Your dentist may also use composite to make small cosmetic changes to your teeth, such as improving the color when whitening treatments aren’t enough or changing the shape of teeth. Composite fillings may need to be replaced every five to seven years but can last longer if they are well cared for.

Amalgam is another substance used for fillings, but this is silver and therefore visible and best used in out-of-the-way teeth like molars. It’s a long-lasting substance with a lifespan of about 10 to 15 years, and it typically costs less than composite.

What Are Dental Crowns Used For?

A dental crown is made from porcelain; like composite, it matches the appearance of your natural teeth. Your dentist will choose crowns to repair cavities that are too large for composite flings, cover a tooth with a severe chip or crack, or protect a tooth that’s had a root canal. Crowns are also used as prosthetic teeth covering titanium dental implant posts. Crowns can also be used in cosmetic dentistry to cover misshapen or very discolored teeth, instead of composite. The average lifespan of a dental crown is five to 15 years, although good dental hygiene will help extend its life.

Jerry A. Laws, DDS and Caitlin Miller Pugh, DMD in Lexington, NC, offers general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry to patients of all ages. This dentist office has been serving the community since 1980, and Dr. Laws and Dr. Miller Pugh are committed to putting patients at ease and nurturing good dental hygiene. They provide sedation dentistry for extensive fillings and restorative procedures and can even help relieve sleep apnea and snoring. To schedule your appointment, call (336) 249-7708 or send a message online.