| Tooth Colored Fillings 
White fillings are known technically as composites. They have virtually replaced silver and gold fillings because of their extreme durability. Composites are made up of a combination of quartz resin and a light sensitive agent and come in different shades in order to match the color of your natural teeth. |
| | Dental CrownsCrowns are made from a variety of materials that strengthen and protect the tooth structure. There are three types of crowns: a full-porcelain crown, a porcelain fused-to-metal crown (PFM) and the all-metal crown. Your dentist will discuss and help you decide which type of crown is suitable for you. Typically porcelain crowns are made by bonding the porcelain to a metal support in a process called Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM). The drawback is that unlike a natural tooth that allows light to pass through it, the metal support underneath blocks out the light.
The All Porcelain Crown (PJC), is both durable and strong. Since the crown is made entirely out of porcelain, light is able to pass through just like a real tooth giving a more natural look.
However, the PJC crown is still not as strong as a PFM crown. Therefore, we use PFM crowns on back teeth and for bridgework for the added strength the metal support lends, and we use the PFM and PJCs on anterior teeth.
| | Porcelain Veneers A porcelain veneer can be an ideal way to make a cosmetic change for a tooth. Compared to dental bonding, porcelain veneers look much more life-like and they have the added benefit of resisting staining well.
Dental BondingThe term "dental bonding" refers to placing tooth colored dental filling material into or onto the tooth. Dental bonding might be utilized as a way to improve the appearance of a cosmetic defect found on the surface of a tooth, to replace tooth structure that has chipped away or broken, or to "fill" a tooth.
Dental bonding can be relatively inexpensive and is usually a "completed in one visit" type dental procedure. As a disadvantage, dental bonding material has a tendency to stain as time passes and in general isn't as lasting or durable a treatment as other cosmetic dental procedures. |
WHAT ARE MY TOOTH REPLACEMENT OPTIONS?
 If you are missing one or more teeth and choose to have it or them replaced, several treatment options are available.
- A "flipper" is a temporary removable plastic tooth that can be made. It is inexpensive but fragile. It actually worsens the bone loss where the tooth was and affects your eating and speaking. It is best used only for a short term.
- A cast partial denture also is removable but is precision cast in metal for longer service life. Wire hooks attach the partial to remaining teeth to help hold it in place. The problem with this option is that the clasps often loosen the teeth that they grab onto and the bone under the partial is destroyed over time.
- A fixed bridge is cemented into place using crowns or "caps" on the teeth adjacent to the open space for support. The crowns are soldered together into one piece. Crown placement usually requires removing and therefore destroying the outer layer of the tooth. The problem with this option is that the average bridge will last 10 years, decay underneath and then need to be completely redone.
- Full dentures or "plates" are the traditional solution for people who have lost all their teeth in one or both jaws. The success of a full denture depends upon the individual's jaw size and shape, his or her oral habits, and his or her adaptability. Some people adapt well to full dentures, while others are not able to adapt. Click Here for more detailed information on the long-term consequences of dentures and bone loss.
- Dental implants can be used to provide support for the replacement of one tooth or all of an individual's teeth. After years of research and clinical trials, we can now provide an implant option in addition to the traditional treatments just described and they can be made attractive, stable, and comfortable for almost any patient.
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