Hi Silky,
Old fillings wear down over time which causes an unnatural and gradual shift in the bite. When the dentist tries to put in one or two new crowns, it can be difficult to get them to fit into the existing bite because the bite can literally be all over the place. The old fillings do not wear down evenly because some are newer or older than others. The teeth on your upper arch opposing these two temps may have worn down fillings which could make it very difficult if not impossible to get the bite correct.
The problem with doing an occlusal equalibration on teeth with old fillings or teeth that are mostly filling... not only will portions of the filling have to be shaved down but so will portions of the actual enamel of the tooth. Old fillings are already breaking down with micro fractures.... add to that the drilling for the bite adjustments and the filling breaks down even further. Sometimes it is better to have all of the fillings replaced (can be very costly) so that the bite can be aligned according to the new restorations. Doing one filling here and there does not solve the bite problem. Did I explain that ok??
Bryanna
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silky
Hi Bryanna,
I have old fillings but not old crowns on other teeth. I do not have periodontal disease. I have one tooth missing for several years. The missing tooth is on the opposite side from the problem temps. The missing tooth side has a very stable and good bite, according to a dentist who made molds of the teeth to look at the bite. I can feel that it is a very good bite. The problem temps are on the opposite side, and are the two back teeth. They feel too short, and feel like they are pulling my bite too far to the left. So I mostly eat on one side now. If they can't make a better fit for crowns, I guess I could get by with eating only on one side. The dentist who prepared the second crown, said that by doing the second crown he could have more control and get a better bite, rather than just working with one crown. So far that hasn't happened. Do you think getting a good fit with two crowns instead of one crown actually makes it harder to get a good bite?
Would it be best to start from scratch and make a new temp? When I see the dentist, I have a feeling he will want to modify this temp.
Thanks! Silky
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