Implant Surgery & Support
Old or failing dental work
Dental restorations do not last forever. Crowns crack, fillings wear down, and bridges loosen — usually long before they cause any pain.
Warning signs
Pain or Sensitivity
Sensitivity or pain around an existing restoration, particularly with hot or cold food and drink. This often indicates leakage or decay beneath.
Visible Damage
A visible crack or chip in a crown or filling, or a darkened margin around the edge of a crown — which usually suggests leakage underneath it.
Stability Issues
A bridge that feels loose or unstable, or a crown that moves even slightly. Movement means the cement seal has failed and bacteria have a route in.
Treatment options
Dental Crowns
Same-day crowns using our in-house CAD/CAM system — around ninety minutes from preparation to placement, with no temporary crown and no second appointment.
Fillings & Inlays
Where enough sound tooth structure remains, a conservative restoration preserves the tooth rather than crowning it. We choose the least invasive option that will actually last.
Implant Replacement
Where decay is extensive or the tooth is structurally compromised beyond saving, replacement with an implant is more predictable than repeatedly patching a failing tooth.
Most failing work is silent
Not all failing dental work produces symptoms. Decay beneath a crown can progress for years without pain, because the crown covers it and the nerve may already be gone.
Routine examinations with updated imaging identify these problems while they are still small repairs. By the time a failing crown hurts, the decision is often between a root canal and an extraction rather than between a filling and a crown.
Common questions
How long should a crown last? +
Typically ten to fifteen years, though many last considerably longer. Material, location, and bite force all affect the number.
Can old work be repaired rather than replaced? +
Sometimes. Small chips in composite can be repaired directly. A failed margin or decay beneath a crown almost always requires replacement.
What happens to decay under an old crown? +
The crown is removed, the decay excavated, and the tooth assessed. If enough sound structure remains, a new crown is made — often the same day.
Questions about your procedure?
Book an assessment of your existing dental work. Call (905) 479-7777.