A molar has carried a big filling for years, and you have been told the enamel walls around it are getting thin. When so much of a tooth is restoration, the next step has to account for what is holding everything together.
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Each time a filling is replaced, a little more tooth is usually lost. Over the years the outer walls, or cusps, can become thin shells around the restoration, and those shells take the full force of chewing on that side of the mouth.
St. Vital is an area of Winnipeg, and residents with a heavily filled molar can have it assessed at our clinic on McPhillips Street. Whether a new tooth-coloured filling is enough, or whether a custom piece that covers the cusps would be more predictable, depends on what the examination shows.
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How thick and sound the leftover enamel is helps determine which restoration design can be supported.
Back teeth handle strong biting forces, so thin cusps carry a higher risk of breaking.
Any plan tries to keep as much healthy tooth as a predictable result allows.
A tooth-coloured result is possible in either case. The question is how much support the restoration needs to give the tooth.
If the walls remain thick enough, direct resin may be bonded in to restore the tooth.
Where cusps are thin or cracked, a custom piece that covers part or all of the chewing surface may be suggested.
Should the examination turn up a deep crack or decay under the old filling, the recommendation may shift, and you can ask what changed it.
Much of what matters here is hidden under the existing filling, so the assessment combines what can be seen with what can be measured or imaged.
Request your visitMention any pain when biting, sensitivity to temperature or a sense that something has shifted.
Margins, cracks and signs of new decay around the filling are checked.
An X-ray can help show the depth of the old restoration and any decay beneath it.
You hear what a new filling, an onlay and a crown would each involve for this tooth.
History is especially helpful with an older tooth, because it may have been worked on more than once.
If you have previous X-rays or notes from another office, you can ask how they might be shared ahead of time.
A painting above the desk in a consultation room, and the bench by reception.
Being told a filling may not be enough can feel unexpected. You are welcome to ask questions and take time to think before agreeing to any plan.
Request an explanation of which walls are a concern and what could happen if they break.
It is reasonable to ask what each option is likely to cost before you choose.
A custom piece usually means more than one visit, so ask how the steps would be arranged.
Living with the restored molar
Whatever design is chosen, the tooth still depends on healthy margins and sensible chewing habits to stay in service.
Ice, hard candy and unpopped kernels put intense stress on a restored back tooth.
Brushing and flossing along the edges of the restoration helps reduce the risk of new decay.
Sharp pain when chewing on that side is worth reporting so the tooth can be checked.
If the tooth breaks or a temporary comes off, phone the clinic for guidance.
Talk with our team
Winnipeg North Dental
Unit-5 2358 Mcphillips Street, Winnipeg, MB R2V 4J6Get directions (opens in a new tab)A St. Vital resident’s molar is evaluated at Winnipeg North Dental, Unit 5, 2358 McPhillips Street, Winnipeg. The directions link gives you a ready-made map.
Once you submit the request, the clinic replies with a time to confirm. If you would like to discuss it first, call (204) 338-3003.
Questions about coverage?
Talk with our team before your visit or learn about CDCP.
Helpful details about tooth-colored restorations in St. Vital.
Ask our teamTaking out an old filling and any decay around it usually removes some tooth along with it. Over several replacements, the restoration grows and the walls thin.
Cusps are the raised points on the chewing surface of back teeth. When they become thin, they may break under biting force.
Composite can restore many moderate repairs. When cusps are very thin, a design that covers them may offer more predictable support.
An onlay covers only the parts of the chewing surface that need it, which can keep more sound tooth than full coverage. Suitability depends on the tooth.
If it is stable and symptom-free, monitoring may be possible. Ask the dentist what signs would change that recommendation.
Send a request online or phone (204) 338-3003 and mention the large filling. Your confirmed visit will be at our clinic on McPhillips Street in Winnipeg.
If your molar needs more support than a filling, these pages explain the custom options in greater depth.
Learn when custom inlays or onlays may repair a damaged back tooth in Winnipeg while preserving more natural structure than a full dental crown.
Explore serviceLearn how custom dental crowns in Winnipeg protect cracked, worn or root canal-treated teeth while restoring comfortable function, shape and appearance.
Explore serviceSee how custom dental laboratory work supports dentures, crowns, bridges, implant restorations and appliances with attention to fit, bite, shade and comfort.
Explore serviceHave an urgent concern? Call (204) 338-3003 to discuss availability.
Worried about a thin-walled tooth?
St. Vital residents can request an assessment, and the clinic will be in touch to settle a time.
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