Restorative Dentistry

A crown is sometimes termed a "cap" or "jacket." A crown will restore a large filling or a cracked tooth to its original size, shape and tooth color. A crown may be recommended after root canal therapy has been completed, as the tooth tends to become brittle and is more likely to fracture. A crown can strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure and improves the appearance of your teeth. With the advances in technology, we now have the ability to make ceramic crowns with no metal.

To place a crown, your dentist must reduce 1-2 mm of the tooth to make room for it. Your dentist will then use a piece of thread or cord or use a laser to push the gum down around the tooth, to take an impression of the tooth. The impressions are sent to the lab where the crown is made. During that time, you will have a temporary crown. These crowns are usually made of plastic and are made in your dentist's office on the day of your visit. They are not meant to last. If a temporary crown is left in the mouth, the cement eventually washes out and the tooth can decay. At a second visit, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and test the permanent one. Sometimes crowns need additional polishing, glaze or some other adjustment before they are placed. Once the crown is ready, it's cemented to your tooth.

Very little preparation is necessary for dental bonding and anesthesia is generally not required beforehand. We will use a shade guide to select a composite resin color that most closely matches the color of your existing teeth.

The surface of your tooth will be etched and a special cleaning/conditioning solution will be applied to allow the bonding resin to adhere to your tooth. Next, we will apply the bonding resin which is putty-like in consistency and can be molded into the desired shape necessary for your specific situation. Once the resin has been properly placed, molded and smoothed, we will use a special ultraviolet light that quickly hardens the resin.

After the resin has hardened completely, we will be able to fine-tune the shape of the resin as well as polish the material until it matches the sheen and overall texture of your natural teeth.

The entire process may take between 30 minutes to an hour to complete depending on your application requirements and how severe the initial issue was.

A filling is a way to restore a damaged tooth back to its normal function and shape. When you get a filling, the dentist will remove the decayed material from the tooth, clean the affected area, and then fill the area with a material designed for fillings. There are many types of filling material available, ranging from gold to porcelain.

Types of Fillings
There are four different choices that you have when it comes to filling a cavity.

1. Composite Fillings - Natural tooth colored filling, bonds to the tooth to provide added security.
2. Silver Fillings - Inexpensive and strong amalgam based filling.
3. Gold Fillings - More attractive than silver and provide for a better fit.
4. Porcelain Fillings - Also called inlays; the most attractive and durable of the tooth colored choices.

A bridge is made up of two or more crowns and is placed in gaps that may occur between your natural teeth. Your natural teeth are used as anchor or abutment teeth to which the bridge is attached. Bridges can be used to restore your smile and your ability to properly chew and speak and help in preventing your natural teeth from moving out of position.

You can think of a dental inlay or onlay as being midway between a filling and a crown. Inlays or onlays are used when not enough tooth structure remains to support a filling, but the tooth is not so severely damaged that it needs a crown.

An inlay is similar to a filling, but it lies within the cusps (bumps) on the chewing surface of your tooth. An onlay is more extensive than an inlay and covers one or more cusps.

Inlays or onlays can be made of gold, composite resin (plastic) or ceramics. They can last for decades. However, how long they last depends on the material used, the teeth involved, the forces of chewing and how well the patient maintains them with good oral hygiene and regular visits to a dentist.