Are open dental contacts OK?

When a tooth has an open contact, it has a proximal contact the doesnt closely adapt to the adjacent proximal tooth.  In layman's terms, the side of the tooth adjacent to another tooth  doesn't make appropriate contact. This is less than ideal because it can allow food to become trapped between teeth When this happens it can cause tooth decay or periodontal problems. Of course if a patient can keep the area clean they may not have any problems.

Even if there is no prior filling, a small acid etched composite addition can be used to close an open contact. This can work well as long as the addition is not placed to be in occlusion with the opposing dentition. Still another option that can be used to close an open contact  is orthodontic tooth movement. Orthodontists can close contacts by constricting the arch if that is appropriate.

Of course every situation is different and not all open contacts need to be closed. If you are concerned about an open dental contact, it is best to visit your dentist and ask about what, if anything should be done to fix it.




from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2020/02/are-open-dental-contacts-ok.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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