If one of your teeth has a big cavity, your dentist may tell you it needs a crown, or it needs to be pulled. If you don't have enough healthy tooth left, a traditional filling won't work. Your dentist will probably advise you to get a crown, but the decision is ultimately up to you. However, there are good reasons to pay the extra money and get a crown rather than lose the tooth. Here are a few things to consider before you make your decision.

Shifting Teeth

Once you pull a tooth, there is only a gap in its place, and no pressure is being placed against the teeth next to it. That means they will probably begin to shift out of place. One way to prevent that is to have your dentist put in a dental appliance such as a partial denture or bridge. However, those options are expensive, especially considering you could just get a crown in the first place and avoid them.

Leaving a gap in your teeth may eventually lead to problems with your bite, once your teeth have shifted. This could put stress on your jaw muscles and lead to teeth grinding or even pain in your jaw joint.

Appearance

If the tooth you need removed is in the front of your mouth, the gap left behind will have a big impact on your appearance. You might become self-conscious and avoid smiling.

One good thing about dental crowns is they look like natural teeth, so you can maintain a beautiful smile. In fact, a crown can even improve the appearance of your smile if the tooth it covers was uneven or decayed.

Chewing

You may have difficulty chewing with a missing tooth depending on where it is located. If it is in the front, you may have trouble biting and tearing into food such as apples or meat. If it is in the back, you could have trouble grinding foods as well as they need to be.

Not only that, when you eat sharp foods such as chips, you can injure your gum, since there won't be a tooth there to protect it when you bite down. Crowns, on the other hand, are as strong as natural teeth, so your ability to chew and eat will not be affected in any way.

Speaking

If your missing tooth is in the front, you may develop problems speaking clearly. To make certain sounds, your lips press against your teeth, and if a tooth is missing, you may develop a lisp.

Problems speaking clearly will affect your social and business life. It may compound your self-conscious feelings, and lead to your avoiding social situations.

All of these problems can be avoided by saving your tooth with a crown, rather than having it pulled and leaving a gap behind. If money is an issue, let your dentist know. He or she may be able to recommend a dental financing company that can help. If you don't have insurance or financing, and have no choice but to pull your tooth, all is not necessarily lost. Once you've saved enough money, you could have an implant with a crown placed in the gap.

For more information, contact Welch Dental Care or a similar location.