Fix Damaged Teeth
Introduction
Damaged Tooth
There are many types of materials and techniques to treat the tooth shown at the right. Those described below should help you understand what may be recommended for you. For all of the procedures listed below, your comfort is our main concern.
We Don’t Offer Amalgam Fillings
Let’s face it: silver fillings are ugly, even when polished. We haven’t offered silver fillings for 20 years in our office. Mercury is 50% of the mixture of silver-mercury amalgam fillings. The American National Institute of Health continues to reaffirm its safety, but it remains controversial. Sweden and Norway recently banned the use of mercury for fillings as an environmental protection. This is good indication that alternatives such as composite are mainstream. However, composite fillings are much more technique sensitive, and take longer to complete than amalgam fillings. A badly done composite is far worse than a badly done amalgam.
Composite Fillings
Composite vs. silver fillings-Click to enlarge
Description
The newest composite materials such as Filtek Supreme Plus from 3M Company are strong and naturally looking, matching your own tooth color. It is used for small to medium sized fillings, necessitated by new decay or decay around old fillings.
Benefit
- Small decay spots can be filled without removing much healthy enamel. It looks great.
- Composite is natural looking, unlike silver-mercury amalgam fillings
- The amount of enamel removed for composite fillings is less that for silver fillings or ceramic or gold inlays.
- In our experience, composite fillings can last as long as amalgam fillings.
Procedure
- We numb your mouth using our comfortable lip-shaking technique. If you are panicked about numbing, we offer nitrous oxide for relaxation. You’ll find out why it used to be called laughing gas! Or you can come in an hour early and take a couple of blue pills, feel wonderfully sleepy and dreamy, and not even remember what happened the next day!
- Decay is removed.
- Thin or loose enamel is removed.
- Enamel is etched with conditioner.
- Enamel/dentin bonding is placed and cured with a powerful light.
- Filtek Supreme Plus is added in increments to avoid shrinkage common to composites, then cured (hardened) with the light. Filtek is the first true nano-sized composite which shrinks less than any other materials on the market.
- The filling is trimmed and fit to your bite, then polished.
Time: 30 minutes per tooth for a small filling to 40 minutes for a large filling. See mynewsmile.com for more information.
Inlays and Onlays
Description
Ceramic Onlay
Inlays and onlays are needed when the tooth is too weak to fill. It is like a puzzle piece that is sealed into the defect. Or, for a weaker tooth, it may be like a new top on the biting surface. We use mostly either Ivoclar/Vivadent Empress, or e.Max depending on strength required and appearance demands. Occasionally we use gold for the very back teeth.
Benefits
- Strength is needed for teeth weakened by decay or cracking, and laboratory made ceramics provide that strength.
- They will make your teeth look natural.
- They are very decay resistant due to bonding to the tooth.
Procedure
- We numb your mouth using our comfortable lip-shaking technique. If you are panicked about numbing, we offer nitrous oxide for relaxation. You’ll find out why it used to be called laughing gas! Or you can come in an hour early and take a couple of blue pills, feel wonderfully sleepy and dreamy, and not even remember what happened the next day!
- Decay is removed.
- Undercuts are repaired with a bonded base or buildup.
- An impression is made with a rubber like material.
- A temporary filling is made and cemented.
- The impression is sent to a dental laboratory for fabrication of the ceramic piece.
- You will return for your seating appointment in 3-4 weeks. The ceramic piece is checked for fit, then bonded to your tooth with a very meticulous technique.
Time: For the first visit, one or two teeth is about 90 minutes, multiple teeth 2 hours or more. The second visit is about an hour for one tooth.
Cost of Inlays and Onlays
Our fee for an inlay ranges from $795 – $846. An onlay is $876 – $907. There may be additional costs for laboratory fees or material upgrades.
Crowns
Description:
- A crown is the last hope for a tooth missing a lot of enamel of the crown.
All ceramic and porcelain fused to metal molar crowns
- A full crown has all the edges tucked under the gum all the way around.
- Recently, we have been able to make crowns without the awful dark line by the gum area because the edge of the crown passes light, as shown on the molar and the comparison photo at the right.
- Your choices with us are porcelain fused to metal, porcelain fused to 3M Lava zirconia, Empress, e.Max, or gold.
Benefits:
- A crown covers the weak portions of the badly damaged tooth for increased comfort, function and appearance.
Dark Line at the Gum Area-Click to enlarge
- An excellent crown can last many years.
- The appearance of 100% ceramic crowns is a great improvement over the old style, as shown on the comparison photo at the right.
Procedure
- We numb your mouth using our comfortable lip-shaking technique. If you are panicked about numbing, we offer nitrous oxide for relaxation. You’ll find out why it used to be called laughing gas! Or you can come in an hour early and take a couple of blue pills, feel wonderfully sleepy and dreamy, and not even remember what happened the next day!
- Decay is removed.
- Undercuts are repaired with a bonded base or buildup.
- An impression is made with a rubber like material.
- a temporary crown is made until the laboratory returns the restoration.
- The impression is sent to a local dental laboratory with high standards for fabrication of the restoration.
- You will return for your seating appointment in 3-4 weeks. The crown is checked for fit, then bonded with to your tooth with a very meticulous technique.
Time
For the first visit, one or two teeth is about 90 minutes, multiple teeth 2 hours or more. The second visit is about an hour for one tooth, and an additional 30 minutes for each one more.
Cost of Crowns
The fee for an all ceramic crown is $949. There may be additional costs for laboratory fees or upgraded materials. See mynewsmile.com for more information.
Veneers
Description
- A veneer is a thin facing made of ceramic which is bonded to a tooth in the smile zone.
Thin Veneer
- You may choose porcelain from a variety of laboratories for subtle aesthetics, or ceramic veneers from Ivoclar/Vivadent, either Empress (Pressed leucite reinforced ceramic), or e.Max (Pressed lithium disilicate).
Benefits
- Made instead of crowns for broken front teeth, for more natural looking results and less or no enamel removal.
- The thinness creates more transluscency which blends with adjacent teeth, and draws out natural color.
- Veneers are strong, and can last many years, especially when the bite is corrected and a night guard is worn regularly.
Procedure
- We numb your mouth using our comfortable lip-shaking technique. If you are panicked about numbing, we offer nitrous oxide for relaxation. You’ll find out why it used to be called laughing gas! Or you can come in an hour early and take a couple of blue pills, feel wonderfully sleepy and dreamy, and not even remember what happened the next day! If the tooth is not fractured deeply, then no numbing is necessary.
- The tooth is shaped to receive the veneer to exacting standards.
- An impression is made with a rubber like material.
- A temporary veneer is bonded with low strength adhesive until the laboratory returns the ceramic veneer.
- You will return for your seating appointment in 3-4 weeks. The veneers are checked for fit, then bonded to your tooth with a very meticulous technique.
Time
For the first visit, one or two teeth is about 90 minutes, multiple teeth 2 hours or more. The second visit is about an hour for one tooth, and an additional 30 minutes for each one more. For 6-10 veneers, plan on 4-5 hours for each of two visits.
Cost of Veneers
The fee for porcelain veneers is $899. There may be additional costs for laboratory fees, upgraded materials, or case management procedures. See mynewsmile.com for more information.
