RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY

Restorative dentistry is the study, diagnosis and integrated management of diseases of the teeth and their supporting structures and the rehabilitation of the dentition to functional and aesthetic requirements of the individual.

A filling is something that most people will have undergone at some point in their lives. They are a form of treatment for tooth decay or to restore a damaged tooth.

WHAT IS A COMPOSITE FILLING?

A filling is the name of a dental procedure in which a material such as composite (white) filling is used to treat a decayed tooth. This material is inserted into the tooth where it then prevents the further spread of decay or repairs any damage.

This treatment stops the decay from spreading into the root where it will cause a serious infection, e.g. an abscess. This also removes the need for a tooth extraction.

ADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITE FILLINGS

Composite white fillings have a natural color which is similar to the color of your natural teeth and so blends it well with them. Plus there have been issues raised about the safety of silver amalgam fillings due to their mercury content which has prompted some people to switch to composite fillings instead.

In regard to inlays and onlays: these fillings are less extensive than a normal filling, are easy to care for and long lasting.

Tooth-colored Composites

Advantages of composites:

Aesthetics — the shade/color of the composite fillings can be closely matched to the color of existing teeth.

Versatility — in addition to use as a filling material for decay, composite fillings can also be used to repair chipped, broken, or worn teeth.

Tooth-sparing preparation — sometimes less tooth structure needs to be removed compared with amalgam fillings when removing decay and preparing for the filling.

These tooth colored materials are bonded to the underlying tooth structure with resin adhesives. Unlike silver fillings (amalgams) they are entirely free of mercury. Many dentists offer procedures to be cosmetic and because their patients prefer natural looking teeth. Cosmetic dentistry has evolved to cover many new procedures and new dental materials are constantly introduced.

PORCELAIN VENEERS

Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth changing their color, shape, size, or length.

What Are the Advantages of Dental Veneers?

Veneers offer the following advantages:

• They provide a natural tooth appearance.

• Gum tissue tolerates porcelain well.

• Porcelain veneersare stain resistant.

• The color of a porcelain veneer can be selected such that it makes dark teeth appear whiter.

• Veneers offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth’s color and shape; veneers generally don’t require the extensive shaping prior to the procedure that crowns do, yet offer a stronger, more aesthetic alternative.