Dentists use various materials when it comes to tooth restoration or fabricating an occlusal guard to prevent clenching/grinding. These include natural tissues, biocompatible synthetic materials, and ceramics.
All dental materials must pass a series of biological tests to ensure their safety for human consumption, including primary and secondary tests as well as clinical trials (usage trials). Dental materials continually evolve in response to patients and practitioners needs.
Impression Materials
Making an accurate impression of the oral cavity is one of the key steps in dental treatment, leading to high-quality restorations that are comfortable and long-term solutions for our patients.
Impression materials come in various forms, from hydrocolloids (agar and alginate) and polyethers to silicones (addition and condensation), making selecting the appropriate one for a given case both easy and straightforward. Each impression material comes with unique characteristics, setting reactions and manipulation requirements that the dentist must understand when choosing it for an impression material to meet patient expectations.
Alginate is currently the go-to hydrocolloid for dental impressions in dentistry. It sets using a platinum-catalysed addition reaction and produces highly accurate, dimensionally stable impressions with relatively inexpensive production costs. Unfortunately, its hydrophilicity means it will swell if exposed to water; additionally it absorbs saliva and blood that causes distortion when removed from undercuts, leading to distortion or creep when removed later on – therefore following proper disinfection guidelines is paramount for use with Alginate impressions; alternatively polyvinyl siloxane was introduced during its introduction in the 1970s; due to its high accuracy and dimensional stability it has since gained immense popularity compared with Alginate impressions due to their relatively inexpensive price point.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
These fillings, composed of composite resin material that chemically adheres to teeth, can be used to fill holes left by decay and repair cracked or chipped ones. Their colors closely resemble existing teeth while remaining discreet. While typically applied on front teeth for aesthetic reasons, they can also be placed on chewing surfaces for more conservative approaches when required – usually lasting more than 10 years under proper care!
Before applying a filling, your dentist will numb the area using local anesthetic. They’ll then remove decayed sections and clean your tooth thoroughly before beginning to layer on composite resin fillings – each layer being “cured,” or hardened, for less than one minute under special curing lights. After completion of this multilayer process, any excess material is trimmed off before polishing is completed – other options for fillings include glass ionomers or porcelain inlays that require multiple visits but will ultimately last longer lasting solutions compared to conventional fillings like composite fillings such as these can also include glass ionomers or porcelain inlays which require multiple visits for placement compared with composite fillings compared with composite fillings which need only one visit!
Crowns
Crowns are tooth-shaped caps we place over damaged teeth to restore their shape, size, strength and appearance. In addition, crowns help prevent further breakage as they protect it against bacteria that could otherwise eat away at its enamel, leading to cavities.
Your dentist will choose a material for your crown based on various factors, including its state and location in your mouth. Porcelain or ceramic crowns closely resemble your natural tooth color and are therefore often selected for front teeth; however, they may be less resilient.
Metal crowns are highly resilient, and can withstand excessive chewing pressure without succumbing to wear and tear over time if they are not taken care of properly. Composite resin crowns may be less costly but lack the natural look that other crown types provide. We offer zirconia core-only crowns which provide more durability but lack transparency like porcelain or ceramic options.
Bridges
Dental bridges provide an effective solution for replacing missing teeth by linking fake ones to natural ones on either side, helping prevent complications associated with gapped ones such as weaker bones and sunken facial muscles.
Porcelain bridges restore your ability to chew and speak clearly, helping prevent speech disorders such as lisps and slurred sounds. Their pressure distribution ensures no single natural tooth bears too much force.
Dental bridges can last 8 to 10 years with proper care, depending on how they’re taken care of. Their artificial teeth are constructed using resilient materials that withstand biting and speaking forces as well as staining to look more like natural teeth. Once attached to your natural teeth by your dentist, eating will no longer pose any risks of dislodging or damaging this restoration – making them a viable alternative to dentures.