|
|
 |
White Fillings
Silver amalgam was once the mainstay material for tooth fillings. It was used for over a century to fill cavities and to restore parts of the teeth that had been destroyed by decay. It was especially used in back teeth, where the coloration of silver-mercury was less noticeable. The drawback to this material, however, is obvious. If you have to have a tooth in the front filled, its appearance is clearly going to be diminished. White fillings, on the other hand, look identical to the surrounding tooth matter and are much better for your teeth as well.
You see, amalgam, by its very nature, can cause damage to your tooth in the long run. This is because amalgam fillings absorb moisture. They also expand and contract with temperature changes. As an amalgam filling ages, it can actually crack a tooth. At that point, you will have to have the tooth crowned to save it.
White fillings do not expand or contract like this, and they are also moisture resistant.
Silver fillings can also deteriorate due to a process called metal fatigue. This causes them to corrode and to leak over time. The protective seal of the filling gets broken and new decay forms beneath it. This leakage will also make the entire tooth begin to look gray as time goes by.
White fillings made of composite materials are a much better alternative.
Dental science has now evolved to a point that tooth-colored materials can be created that are durable, long-lasting, and cosmetically appealing. New materials such as porcelain and composite resin can give you an attractive, natural look and at the same time restore strength and durability to your tooth.
Both porcelain and composite resin white fillings are directly bonded directly to your tooth. This restores it to nearly 100 percent of its original strength and functionality. Both porcelain and white fillings can be custom-colored to precisely match your teeth. Only trained dentists can see the difference between these cosmetic tooth restorations and the real thing.
The improvement that white fillings make in your smile is invaluable. You no longer have to be self-conscious about how you come across when people see your teeth.
White restorations also preserve more natural tooth matter.
This is because healthy tooth structure must be removed just so an amalgam filling can fit. When a tooth is restored with composite resin, however, we only have to remove the decay itself. The resin easily bonds to the tooth without any of its natural surface area needing to be removed.
By bonding white fillings directly to your tooth, we also help add strength to your tooth.
So if you are seeking for an attractive and effective option for restoring one or more decayed teeth, be certain to ask us about the latest choices in white restorative materials.
Labels: composite bonding resin, white fillings
Problems with Amalgams
There are problems with amalgam fillings that dental patients need to be made aware of. Some of these problems are medical in nature, while others are cosmetic in nature. While amalgam fillings did at one time help save many teeth, they have outlived their usefulness. Today’s world of cosmetic dentistry now allows for better materials to be used that produce stronger teeth, a more natural smile, and a better overall health for the long-term dental health of the patient.
But what, exactly, is meant by the term amalgam filling?
Amalgam means that it is a combination of different metals. In the case of amalgams, fillings are composed of 35 percent silver, 15 percent tin (or sometimes tin mixed with copper), traces of zinc, and 50 percent mercury.
Amalgams have been used for decades as restorative solutions to cavities and cracks in teeth. Many health organizations still claim that the mercury used in these fillings is safe because it is atomically bonded to other metals. There are those who disagree, however. They claim that mercury is a toxic heavy metal and should not be trusted in the mouth, period.
Amalgams also expand with heat and cold. This causes them to stress the surrounding tooth mass. If the filling expands enough, it can actually crack the tooth from the inside out.
Corrosion is another problem that people with silver-mercury fillings face. Silver fillings corrode over time and start leaking. When this happens, bacteria get under the filling and decay starts to develop all over again.
Amalgams will also often fracture when a person ages. This breaks their protective seal, and decay ensues again.
Other problems with amalgams include cosmetic detriment to the person’s smile.
Honestly, silver-mercury fillings have never looked that good. They show up as dark spots on a tooth. In the back of the mouth on large molars, this is not a big deal. Few people look in the back of your mouth like that, and if they do, you probably don’t want them to like what they see.
However, the people that you smile at with your front teeth will notice your amalgams. If you have silver-mercury fillings in any of your front teeth, you are probably already self-conscious about this.
They also create unsightly dark gray stains on teeth and gums.
Thankfully, white fillings have now emerged on the scene that allow us to replace amalgams with better, healthier, and more aesthetic alternatives. New tooth-colored materials such as composite dental resin and porcelain allow us to avoid all these medical and cosmetic problems and produce reliable, durable, and natural-looking results. Labels: cosmetic dental resin, cosmetic teeth whitening, white fillings
Partially Edentulous Arch
When you are missing some of your teeth (a condition known as a partially edentulous arch), it is imperative that you do something. Delaying treatment is never a good idea, because the medical impact of doing nothing is worse than you probably assume. Missing teeth will cause other teeth to grow out of alignment. Cheek muscles will cave in and wrinkle. A person can start looking older than they really are, and the jaw bone will begin to deteriorate due to the absence of a tooth root to grow around. You do not want this to happen to you.
Fortunately, you have more than one option. These choices include the following:
· A bridge
· Implant-supported crowns or a bridge
· A partial denture
Bridges
There are several types of dental bridges you can have placed in your mouth to substitute for missing teeth. Before we look at these options, let’s first understand what a dental bridge is.
A dental bridge is an artificial tooth that is attached to the teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. These teeth work as anchors, holding the bridge in place and providing support. A bridge is fixed in the mouth and is therefore more stable and secure.
The problem, however, is the effect a bridge can have on surrounding teeth. In order to place the bridge in the first place, we have to reduce tooth surfaces in order to make it fit. This makes the teeth more vulnerable to decay. In severe cases, root canals eventually have to be done on some of these teeth.
However, getting a bridge requires us to reduce the size of the supporting teeth, and reducing teeth can sometimes lead to decay and the need for root canal therapy.
This type of dental bridge is called a fixed or non-removable bridge. It is commonly used as a restoration for an edentulous arch. A second type of bridge is supported by dental implants. This eliminates the need to use surrounding teeth as brackets. This is better for your teeth, although it is also more expensive.
Implants
You can also get dental implants as replacements for missing teeth. Implants use a titanium post to substitute for the tooth roots of missing teeth. The post supports a porcelain crown that is by all accounts the best possible and longest lasting tooth replacement. Not only does the crown act as a fully functional tooth, but it looks realistic. The post mimics a tooth root just enough to fool the jawbone into thinking a tooth root is still there, so bone recession is prevented.
Implants do require surgery, and recovery time can be several months. They are also expensive.
Partial dentures
Partial dentures can also works as missing tooth replacements. Of course, this is not the very best restoration for a partially edentulous arch, but it may be the most affordable option for you in the beginning. There are several types of partial dentures we can make for you. We can fit you with an all-acrylic flipper, which is a form of provisional partial denture. We can also fit you with a metal-based conventional partial denture if you prefer. For patients that need additional support for their restorations, implant supported dentures are also sometimes used. Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic removable partial dentures, missing teeth replacements, partially edentulous arch
Homecare Manual for Esthetic Dentistry
Once you have receive an entirely new smile from your Houston cosmetic dentist, remember that it is going to take some time for you to get used to your new bite. Believe it or not, esthetic dentistry home care is simple. It is not about doing something difficult or laborious—it’s simply about doing a few basic things consistently. This will make your new adjustment comfortable for you, and it will ensure the success of your new smile.
Anytime your bit is altered by esthetic dentistry, the position of your teeth change. This causes them to feel different for a few days. The brain will need some time to get used to the changes. If you detect noticeable irregularities in your bite, call us to schedule another adjustment.
Otherwise, expect your teeth to be somewhat sensitive to cold, heat, and pressure for a short period of time. This is because tooth structure must be removed to place restoration materials on your teeth. After several days, this sensitivity should go away. If it does not, call us for another appointment.
You may also notice that your gums appear a bit swollen, and they may feel sore for a few days after esthetic dentistry. The best way to handle this is to rinse three times daily with warm salt water. Use one teaspoon of salt in one cup of water. This should be all it takes to relieve the pain and swelling.
If salt water is not enough, then talk to your dentist about over-the-counter pain medication. This should be enough to dispel the rest of the pain.
You might notice that your speech is affected after an esthetic dentistry treatment. Do not be alarmed, because this is normal. You will find that you will soon be speaking normally again. Salivation may also be affected. Again, this is simply a matter of the brain needing some time to adjust. Within a week, excessive saliva should be gone.
If you play sports, ask your dentist to make you a custom mouthguard to protect your new smile.
Keep in mind that anything you chew on or eat that can damage or crack natural teeth will also damage cosmetic teeth restorations. You should avoid sticky candies and hard substances. Avoid popcorn hulls, peanut brittle, ice, and chewing on your nails.
Try to quit smoking if you do. Any esthetic dental work can be undone in a short period of time if you smoke. Cola, berries, strong coffee, teas, and red wines can also stain your new restorations. Brush and rinse thoroughly after drinking them.
In order to ensure the long-term success of esthetic dentistry, remove daily place with brushing and flossing. Also, see us regularly for professional cleanings. Labels: homecare for esthetic dentistry
An indirect resin is a custom-made, white plastic restoration whose purpose is to bond to a damaged tooth and restore its cosmetic appearance and almost the full amount of its original strength.
One of the biggest advantages offered by an indirect resin is its ability to preserve much more of the original structure of a tooth compared to that of an ordinary filling.
The origin of the term “indirect resin” lies in the tact that this restoration must be manufactured in a dental laboratory instead of it being applied directly to your mouth. The laboratory must first harden the dental restoration through a special process. This involves curing the material with specific amounts of heat and pressure in order to make it much, much more durable.
The actual material used to make an indirect resin is made from either a special type of plastic or plastic material, mixed with glass. This material is tooth colored by nature, and is available in a variety of shades that allows us to closely match its color to the color of your existing, natural teeth.
In order to restore a tooth with an indirect resin, it takes multiple appointments. This first appointment focuses on removing decayed, damaged, or weakened portions of a tooth. We also have to remove old dental fillings if they are still present. We make this procedure very comfortable for you by numbing the around the tooth so that you will not feel pain while we are working.
We next take an impression of your teeth in order to create a working model of your mouth. The lab needs this model so it can accurately manufacture your indirect resin according to the parameters of both your existing teeth and the teeth we have prepared for treatment. By making a model of your entire mouth, we are able to restore the tooth both medically and cosmetically. By treating the tooth as one of many that exist in relationship to one another, we can better correct your natural bit.
We then send this model off to the lab. In the meantime, we must place a temporary restoration in your tooth in order to preserve the preparatory work we have done and to ensure that no further decay ensues in the meantime.
Meanwhile, at the dental laboratory, the resin material is carefully placed into the model. Your indirect resin is then individually designed and colored to match it to your teeth in as much of a lifelike manner as possible.
When you return to our office the second time, we remove the temporary filling and place a conditioning gel on your tooth in order to get it ready for the new resin filling. We then place the bonding agent in the tooth, and use a special, high-intensity light to bond your indirect resin restoration to the tooth.
After removing all excess cement, we adjust your bite, and then we polish the restoration to a high luster.
It is normal for you to have some sensitivity to hot or cold in the area, but this should soon go away after a few days. If you have any more problems, questions, or concerns, just call our office.Labels: indirect resins
What is the goal of esthetic dentistry?
The goal of esthetic dentistry is to completely transform your average or damaged smile into an award-winning smile.
What is the value in paying for this service?
If you don’t think you can show your teeth when you smile, you may feel severely limited in personal encounters and professional settings. The debilitating effect this can have on your life can make you shy and withdrawn, even if you are an otherwise outgoing person.
I’m not so vain as to need a perfect smile.
This is not about vanity, nor have we ever billed a single client for perfection.
Esthetic dentistry is all about individual beauty beyond comparison and self confidence that comes from within. There is nothing vain or ego-driven about this. It is about you being your best and no one else’s.
The psychological impact of this service is only part of the equation, though. Real science goes into making something concrete out of a feeling of new confidence and performance.
In order to do this, we have to carefully examine every aspect of your smile and determine which. esthetic dentistry treatments must be implemented to correct the challenges that confront you.
What are some examples of what you can do to restore my teeth?
A few examples of the many esthetic dentistry services we offer include, but are not limited, to the following:
Crooked teeth that would otherwise need painful and embarrassing metal braces can now be corrected with painless invisible braces.
Teeth with gaps between them can be corrected with cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental bonding, or thin veneers placed on the sides of the teeth to fill in the gaps.
Discolored teeth that need to be whitened can be treated by cosmetic resin or professional teeth cleaning.
If your gums are uneven and extend over the tops of your teeth when you smile, we can use a technique called crown lengthening to make your teeth alone visible when you smile without your gums being visibly embarrassing to you.
If your teeth are too long, or too shore, they can be reshaped with special tools or dental bonding to make their edges smoothly follow the curve of the lower lip.
Esthetic dentistry employs a variety of tools, technology, and techniques that are not always used by general dentists. Many of its benefits are purely cosmetic, but others have real medical value as well. Because of this, practitioners of this highly specialized discipline must pursue credentials in licensing in general dentistry as well as cosmetic dentistry so that every patient gets the maximum benefits that any given procedure can provide. Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental veneers, esthetic dentistsry
Can Laser Dental Therapy Fix Gaps Between My Teeth?
I am 36 yrs old. I had gum disease and gum recession a few years ago. I was treated professionally with antibiotics put inside the periodontal pocket. However, my both upper and lower front teeth now have a big gap between them. This looks unattractive when I smile, and it has affected my confidence deeply.
Does laser gum treatment close the gap between teeth? If not, is there any other option to help to close the gap between them?
Connie
Thanks for the enquiry. Most likely, we will be able to help you out. If you still have periodontal disease that needs to be treated and we can help you with that. As far as the gaps between your teeth that also can be treated depending on what is needed. We would be happy to help you out, please give us a call.
Dale J. Brant, DDS
Charles Campbell, DDS
713.795.5905
888.790.0309Labels: gaps between teeth, Gum Disease, laser dental therapy
|
