The sooner you see our Kalamazoo, MI, dentist, the more likely we’ll be able to repair your tooth with a simple tooth-colored filling. The alternative is waiting and needing a dental crown, root canal, or tooth extraction.
Here are the major differences between fillings and crowns.
How Do Fillings & Crowns Compare?
As mentioned above, our dentist uses both dental fillings and crowns to restore teeth. But what procedure you need will depend on the extent of tooth decay or other damage.
| Fillings | Crowns |
| Treats minor tooth injury or decay | Treats major tooth injury or decay |
| Fills in decayed teeth | Covers teeth |
| Completed in 1 dental visit | Completed in 2 dental visits |
| No impressions | Requires impressions |
| More affordable | More expensive |
Direct vs. Indirect Restorations
It takes one appointment to get a filling but two for a dental crown. That’s because a dental crown is what we call an “indirect” restoration.
Labs use impressions of your teeth and gums to create dental crowns. This is an indirect process because they make your crown before it’s ever held up to your mouth. Once your crown is ready, you’ll need to return to our Kalamazoo dental office so our dentist can bond it to your tooth.
For fillings, our dentist molds and shapes composite resin right onto your tooth. This is why fillings are “direct” restorations.
How Do You Know When You Need a Crown?
Our dentist may recommend a if a filling isn’t enough to restore your tooth. For example, you may need a dental crown to restore a tooth with a deep crack or large cavity.
A dental crown covers your entire tooth, from the chewing surface to the edge of your gums. This restores both the strength and appearance of your tooth. A crown also protects your tooth from further damage.
Crowns are much more durable than composite resin fillings. But we also have to remove more tooth enamel to place them. Of course, this may not be as much of an issue if most of your tooth structure already isn’t salvageable.
When Should I Get a Filling?
We may recommend a filling to restore a tooth with a small cavity. Once we remove the decayed tooth structure, we would then fill in the hole with composite resin. This filling repairs your tooth and prevents further decay from entering the tooth.
We do everything in our power to detect cavities early. That way, we can restore your tooth with a small filling. A filling lets you keep more of your natural tooth structure than a crown.
What to Remember
In general, are less invasive. But this doesn’t mean they’re always the right choice. For example, you may need a crown if your tooth is weak from a large filling. Likewise, a filling helps you save as much tooth structure as possible.
Consult with our dentist to determine which treatment is right for you. Dr. Bandos would be more than happy to help you explore the pros and cons of each option. We’ll give you all the information you need to choose between dental fillings and crowns.
Need More Info About Fillings & Crowns?
The priority of our dentist in Kalamazoo, MI, has always been helping our patients. When you come in for your appointment, our sole focus will be on helping you restore your oral health. As a family dental practice, we’re rewarded by the smiles on our patients’ faces. To request an appointment, call Kalamazoo Smiles today at (269) 353-3700.
This blog has been updated.
