If you fear going to the dentist, you may have severe cavities and tooth damage. Without proper care, this may affect other teeth, cause severe pain or lead to gum disease. Even if you think your teeth are hopeless, there are treatments that can fix your teeth, so they may not need extraction. Check out these three alternatives to extraction

Crown

If you have a big cavity in a tooth, your dentist may not be able to simply remove it and place a filling. The larger a filling, the more likely it is to fail. Similarly, if you have lots of cracks in your teeth, it is likely the tooth will shatter or break under pressure. This is because the surface of the tooth is no longer intact, reducing its structural strength. Your dentist can return this structural strength with a dental crown. For example, if you have a big cavity, the dentist removes it and places a filling. However, a dental crown is then placed over the tooth to act as the new external surface. Crowns come in metal, porcelain and porcelain-fused-to-metal.

Metal Post

In some cases, your dentist may be able to build-up a severely damaged tooth with a metal post. If most of your tooth structure is gone, even placing a filling and crown may not be enough to ensure the tooth doesn't break in the future. Your dentist, however, may be able to place a metal post in the tooth, which serves as a support beam. The tooth is built up around this post and the crown is placed. Depending on the severity of the damage, however, this option may not last long, but it is an excellent way to prolong a tooth's life until you can afford an extraction and tooth replacement.

Root Canal Therapy

If the damage to your tooth is in the root, you likely have a tooth infection. This occurs when bacteria reaches the pulp of the tooth and causes an infection. This can be incredibly painful and dangerous if not treated. In the past, the only way to treat a tooth infection was by extracting it. Today, root canal therapy serves as a way to save a damaged tooth. The dentist removes all the tooth pulp and infection. The tooth still functions like normal, but you will need to cover it with a crown to help add strength.

Just because you have severe tooth damage it doesn't mean you need to have your teeth pulled. Your dentist will work with you to create a plan based on your needs, budget and goals. For more information, contact a dentist at offices like the Dental Studios of MacArthur in your area.