My dentist explained that how long fillings & similar treatments last can depend on two things: (1) the type of enamel the patient has in his/her mouth, and (2) the skill of the dentist. Some people have flexible enamel that bends slightly under pressure. Others have brittle, hard enamel. Teeth with flexible enamel tend to crack & chip less often than teeth with hard, brittle enamel. Fillings in the teeth of those with the more flexible enamel tend to wiggle loose & need replacement sooner than fillings in the teeth of folks with the more hard & brittle enamel. Elaine is likely an example of the hard & brittle enamel type.
When a dentist knows what kind of enamel a patient has, he/she can select bonding materials to match the patient's enamel type. Sometimes it can take trial & error to find out what works best for any given patient. 17 years ago, when I first visited the dentist I have now, she gave me some fillings that popped out in a few years. She chose a more flexible compound for the re-fills and these have lasted for over 15 years now. I am an example of the flexible enamel type. Valerie Wells http://bebabe.wordpress.com/ http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/ ---------- Dear William, When I started playing the horn, I had a chip in my right front tooth, a fairly sizeable one. I went to my dentist and he used a fiberglass compound which he put on with a miniature putty knife and when set, sanded it to the proper shape. It's been there ever since - 48 years. Elaine in Nashville _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
