What is tooth-colored dentistry?
Tooth-colored dentistry is the branch of dentistry that employs the technology and materials of composite resin and other fillers, quartz, glass, porcelain, and ceramic to design dental restorations that match the natural color of teeth.
What are the common applications of tooth-colored dentistry?
Tooth-colored material applications mostly revolve around cavity fillings, but they are also used to fix teeth imperfections like smoothing uneven edges, closing gaps, and repairing chips.
What are the advantages of tooth-colored restorations over traditional fillings?
Tooth-colored restorations give patients a natural look, unlike the traditional silver amalgam fillings which are easily visible. Furthermore, the bonding of the resin to the teeth means that less natural tooth structure will need to be removed, and there will be no mercury in the resin.
Are silver amalgam fillings dangerous?
Silver amalgam fillings contain a small quantity of mercury, and thus, are not dangerous, but a lot of people take the mercury-free option that is tooth-colored.
How long does a tooth-colored procedure for a cavity take?
Tooth-colored cavity procedures are quick and painless. It takes less than an hour to complete one.
What steps are involved for a tooth-colored restoration?
Most procedures start with the application of local anesthesia to numb the gums. Once the anesthesia takes effect, the infected dental tissue is removed, the tooth is cleaned, and the tooth-colored filling, matched to the color of your tooth, is placed.
How long can I expect a tooth-colored restoration to last?
With diligence and routine maintenance of your gums and teeth, as well as your fillings, the tooth-colored work should last a decade at the minimum.
What issues can most forms of tooth-colored restorative dentistry fix?
Tooth-colored dentistry can fix minor and major problems, such as cavities, and other issues of dental esthetics including teeth of uneven sizes and shapes.