Sindae-bang Dental Clinic: Front Tooth Decay, Root Canal Treatment and Crown for Weakened Teeth, and Extraction and Implant for a Fractured Lateral Incisor

Sindae-bang Dental Clinic, Seoul Remember

I’m Director Park Jeong-gi.

Natural teeth are meant to be used for a lifetime, but as time passes, their strength and health inevitably change.

As we tear and grind food every day, the enamel on the tooth surface naturally wears down little by little,

and due to bacteria in the mouth and an acidic environment, small cracks or erosion can also progress.

In particular, when damage reaches the dentin beneath the enamel, the overall structural strength of the tooth becomes rapidly weakened.

In this state, if decay progresses deep inside the tooth, it may look fine on the outside while the inside has become soft and weak, so it can break easily even from a small impact.

Front teeth are not only important aesthetically, but also play a key role in cutting food and in pronunciation, so when a problem occurs, it causes considerable inconvenience in daily life.

The case we will look at today at Sindae-bang Dental Clinic is one in which multiple problems occurred in the maxillary left anterior region.

Diagnosis and Plan for Tooth 21

2025.03.27

First, looking at the central incisor (tooth 21), when observed from the front, the tooth surface was generally weakened, and when checked from the inner palatal side, a fairly large cavity was progressing.

In addition, as the gums receded, wear was present at the cervical area, which is the boundary between the tooth and the gums, and the patient reported sensitivity to cold water and air.

Cervical wear

occurs due to a combination of factors such as forceful horizontal brushing, excessive bite force, and acidic foods.

As the gingiva recedes and dentin becomes exposed, it causes hypersensitivity.

To briefly explain it at Sindae-bang Dental Clinic, it means the teeth become sensitive even to very small stimuli, and in fact, it is known that as people get older, the number of patients experiencing cervical wear is quite large.

If the tooth had simply been weakened on the surface, protecting it with a crown alone would have been sufficient.

However, since this case had deep decay inside, the correct approach would be to perform root canal treatment first and then place a crown.

This involves removing the decay-infected tissue inside the natural tooth, disinfecting it thoroughly, and then filling it with biocompatible material.

It is also the last way to preserve and continue using your own tooth.

At Sindae-bang Dental Clinic, even if we know there is decay, we cannot simply cover it up blindly. If we believe the tooth can be used a little longer, we extend its lifespan through conservative treatment.

Diagnosis and Plan for Tooth 22

The adjacent lateral incisor, tooth 22, was in a more serious condition.

The tooth had fractured, and the amount of fracture was quite extensive, leaving very little remaining tooth structure.

In such cases, even if a prosthesis is made and placed, if the internal abutment tooth cannot provide sufficient support, there is a very high chance it will break again before long.

Retreatment increases not only the patient’s time and financial burden, but also considerable stress,

so at Sindae-bang Dental Clinic, we felt it was important to establish a plan that took long-term prognosis into account.

Therefore, we judged that extracting tooth 22 and replacing it with an implant would be the more rational choice.

This is a method of restoring function similar to a natural tooth by placing an artificial root (fixture) into the jawbone, and if well maintained, it has the advantage of being usable for a long time.

Recently, implants have become much more common, and they have established themselves as one of the reliable treatment methods with a high level of technology and safety.

Conclusion

At Sindae-bang Dental Clinic, I will show you the completed anterior tooth treatment.

2025.07.28

Both front teeth have been naturally restored and blend harmoniously with the surrounding adjacent teeth.

In particular, crowns and implant prostheses made of zirconia can achieve translucency and color tones similar to natural teeth, which makes them aesthetically pleasing.

Also, zirconia is a ceramic material with excellent strength and durability, making it advantageous for areas like front teeth that require both aesthetics and function.

It also has excellent biocompatibility, so allergic reactions and foreign-body sensations are minimal, and its smooth surface makes oral hygiene management easier.

At Sindae-bang Dental Clinic, I believe that being able to protect weakened teeth while maintaining a natural appearance may be the greatest advantage of zirconia prosthetics.

2025.03.27 ~ 2025.07.28

Anterior tooth treatment requires not only functional restoration but also consideration of aesthetics, so an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan are essential. Also, if a tooth has become weakened or decay has been found, it is important to receive treatment before the problem progresses further.

This is because the earlier it is detected and treated, the higher the possibility of preservation and the success rate of treatment.

I hope the information I explained today at Sindae-bang Dental Clinic was helpful, and I’ll end the post here.

This was Director Park Jeong-gi of Seoul Remember.

Thank you.

Treatment period: 2025.03.27 ~ 2025.07.28