Repair My Teeth Johannesburg
Root Canal, Fillings, Crowns & Veneers in Johannesburg
This Page Content
Chipped, cracked or aching teeth
A chipped, cracked or aching tooth rarely settles on its own. Repairing a tooth means keeping the one you already have instead of losing it. At FresherBreath in Johannesburg, our dentists repair damaged teeth with white fillings, dental bonding, inlays, onlays, crowns, veneers and root canal treatment.
The right repair depends on one thing: how much of the tooth is damaged.
What Does Tooth Repair Mean?
Tooth repair means restoring a damaged natural tooth instead of removing it. Your dentist clears out the decay or damage, then rebuilds the tooth with a filling, bonding, an inlay, an onlay, a crown or a veneer. Root canal treatment saves a tooth from the inside.
Small damage needs a small repair. A tiny cavity takes a filling. A tooth that has cracked across the biting surface usually needs a crown. A tooth with an infected nerve needs root canal treatment before anything else goes on top
Your dentist examines the tooth and shows you which option fits. Nobody can diagnose a tooth over the internet.
Which Repair Does Your Tooth Need?
Repair options cover almost every damaged tooth we see in Johannesburg.
Dental Fillings
A filling repairs a hole left by decay. Your dentist removes the decayed part, cleans the space, then fills it with a tooth-coloured composite material that sets hard.
White fillings match the shade of your natural tooth, so the repair does not show when you laugh. They suit small to medium cavities, and most fillings take one visit.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment saves a tooth when the nerve inside it becomes infected. Your dentist opens the tooth, clears the infected pulp, disinfects the canals, then seals them.
This is the treatment that stops the deep, throbbing toothache that keeps you awake. Modern root canal treatment happens under local anaesthetic and feels much like having a filling done.
Inlays and Onlays
An inlay or onlay repairs damage too large for a filling but too small for a crown. The lab makes the piece to fit your tooth exactly, and your dentist bonds it into place.
An inlay sits inside the cusps of a back tooth. An onlay covers one or more cusps as well. Both keep far more of your healthy tooth than a crown does.
Read more about inlays and onlays.
Dental Crowns
A crown is a cap that covers the whole tooth. It holds a weak or cracked tooth together and takes the force of chewing off the damaged structure.
Your dentist shapes the tooth, takes an impression, then fits the finished crown. Teeth that have had root canal treatment often need a crown afterwards, because the tooth becomes more brittle.
Read more about dental crowns.
Dental Bonding
Bonding repairs chips, small cracks, gaps and stubborn stains. Your dentist applies a soft tooth-coloured resin, shapes it against the tooth, then hardens it with a curing light.
Bonding usually needs no drilling and no anaesthetic. Most cases finish in a single appointment. It is the lightest repair on this list.
Read more about dental bonding.
Veneers
A veneer is a thin shell bonded to the front of a tooth. It corrects chips, worn edges, gaps and deep discolouration that whitening cannot lift.
Veneers repair how a front tooth looks rather than how it chews. Your dentist removes a very thin layer of enamel first, so the shell sits flush with your other teeth.
Read more about veneers.
Who Needs Tooth Repair?
Book an examination if you recognise any of these:
- A tooth that hurts when you bite down
- Sharp pain with cold water, hot coffee or sweet food
- A visible chip, crack or hole in a tooth
- A dark spot or brown line on a tooth surface
- A filling that has fallen out or feels rough
- A tooth that has changed colour on its own
- Food that keeps packing into the same gap
- A dull ache that wakes you at night
Warning Signs Worth Paying Attention To
Some problems don't show themselves straight away. You may notice difficulty chewing on one side, food repeatedly trapping near the gap, a bite that feels off or uneven, jaw ache or tension especially in the morning, or sensitivity in the teeth next to the gap.
When to see a dentist?
See a dentist the same day if your face is swollen, or if a tooth is causing severe pain. Swelling means the infection is spreading.
Your Tooth Repair Options
Damage in a tooth spreads. Decay works inward towards the nerve, and a small crack widens every time you chew.
Ready to Understand Your Options?
A consultation is the clearest way to know exactly where you stand and what is possible for your situation.