A filling or crown can look fine for years, until it does not.
When something changes on an existing restoration, the first question is not “what do we replace?” It is “what changed?”
KYT evaluates the seal, the tooth underneath, and the forces on it before recommending a replacement. Sometimes the answer is a repair. Sometimes the answer is coverage. Sometimes the answer is wait and monitor.
Understand the reason first. Replace second.
§ 00 · This page is for
§ 01 · The real question
Sometimes it is the restoration itself. Sometimes it is the tooth underneath. Sometimes it is the bite and the forces on it over time.
A small leak can become a bigger issue quietly.
Teeth can crack, weaken, or shift under old work.
Bite pressure can change what survives long-term.
§ 02 · Framework evaluation
Every KYT recommendation is evaluated across the same four dimensions before we replace anything.
How much natural tooth remains under the existing restoration, and is the seal still intact?
“How much healthy tooth is left?”
Where does the bite land on this restoration, and is pressure concentrating in one spot?
“How hard does this tooth get loaded?”
Is this a repair now, a plan for later, or a signal that the whole quadrant needs a broader look?
“What should happen first?”
What material, coverage, and bite plan protects the tooth for the next decade.
“Will the replacement hold up?”
§ 03 · Treatment
Replace the filling or crown with matched material
Repair rather than replace when the seal is still good
Full-coverage crown when the tooth is compromised
Onlay or partial coverage to preserve tooth structure
Add a night guard to protect the restoration
Monitor if the restoration is stable and quiet
Replacing the visible part is not the same as fixing the problem. If we do not address what caused the old work to fail, the next failure is more likely.
§ 04 · At the visit
We listen to how the tooth feels and what changed.
We examine the restoration, the tooth, the bite, and the surrounding tissues.
We use imaging when needed to confirm what is happening below the surface.
We explain the options: what each protects, what each risks, what each is designed to last.
We provide a written estimate before any planned replacement.
Second opinion
If you were told you need to replace multiple crowns, bridges, or fillings elsewhere and want to understand the reasoning before committing, KYT offers a structured second opinion consultation.
Learn about second opinionsWe will evaluate what changed, explain what matters, and walk through replacement options without pressure. The goal is a fix that holds up, not a quick swap.
