RESTORATIVE

Unlike silver (amalgam) fillings, white filling material sticks to teeth and can form edges, so it may be effectively used to repair front teeth that are chipped, broken, decayed or worn. It can also be used as a “veneer” to cover marks or discolouration that cleaning won’t remove. White fillings are less noticeable than silver fillings, which may turn black in the mouth. White fillings come in a range of shades so they can be matched to the colour of your own teeth. A tooth needs less preparation for a white filling than for a silver filling.

Your dentist will:

1. Remove any decay, together with any old filling material, using a small, high-speed drill

2. Remove any weak part of the tooth which might break later

3. Wash and dry the tooth by blowing water and then air onto it (the dentist will be holding something which looks like a water pistol)

4. Etch the surface to be restored with a mild acid, to help the filling stick better

5. Coat the surface that is to be restored with a bonding agent (which acts like cement) and then place the filling material -this is pushed into the cavity that is to be filled and it is shaped as required

6. Harden the filling by pointing a bright light at it, inside your mouth (you will see the dentist and dental nurse protecting their eyes)- this is called “curing”; and trim and polish the filling as necessary

A filling replaces part of a tooth that has been lost because of decay or through accidental damage. “Silver” fillings are made of amalgam – a mixture of mercury with other metals, such as silver, tin and copper. Amalgam is soft at first, but quickly becomes very hard once placed in the tooth. A filling rebuilds the tooth so you can chew.If decay is left unchecked, it can spread into the tooth, causing pain and infection. This could mean the tooth has to be root filled or even taken out.A filling can end toothache or prevent toothache developing.

Your dentist will:

1. Usually numb the area around the tooth with an injection- but some small fillings may not need an anaesthetic

2. Remove any decay, together with any old filling material, using a small, high-speed drill

3. Remove any weak part of the tooth which might break later

4. Shape the hole, so that the tooth will hold the filling in place

5. Sometimes use tiny pins and screws to help hold the tooth and filling together (for a larger filling)

6. Put a lining underneath the filling if it is very deep, to make the tooth less sensitive to temperature changes

7. Press soft amalgam tightly into the hole – you might hear a squeak as it goes in

8. Carve the filling to fit the tooth (the dentist might put a thin metal band around the tooth when they are doing this to keep the amalgam in place while it is still soft)

9. Ask you to close your mouth gently on the filling to check that it is the right height and is comfortable

10. Polish the filling at the next visit, when it is completely hard.

You can sometimes have inlays or onlays instead of fillings to repair damaged teeth. Fillings are soft to begin with and are moulded in the tooth which has been shaped to take and hold the filling. Inlays and onlays are made outside the mouth, usually in a dental laboratory, and then glued to the tooth in the surgery. An inlay sits in a hole in the tooth. An onlay sits on the tooth and builds up its shape. Inlays and onlays can be made in tooth-coloured porcelain, gold or a white filling material called composite. Different materials are suitable for different parts of the mouth and different parts of the teeth. Inlays and onlays are strong and can last longer than fillings They are especially suitable for the chewing surfaces of back teeth and for large repairs to front teeth, where it can be difficult to make a white filling look natural. Your dentist can match the colour to your other teeth.

Your dentist will:

1. Normally give you a local anaesthetic to numb the area

2. Remove any old filling material and any decayed or damaged tooth

3. Use a putty-like material to record the shape of the tooth being repaired and the teeth around it -this is called taking an “impression”

4. Give the impression to a dental technician to make the inlay or onlay

5. Use a temporary filling to protect the tooth that is being repaired while you wait for the inlay or onlay to be made

6. Glue the inlay or onlay in place on your next visit – the dentist may make small adjustments, so that the tooth is comfortable to bite on.

Porcelain Veneers allow your cosmetic dentist to restore a healthy, white appearance to teeth that have become misaligned, cracked, chipped, or stained. These thin porcelain facings can dramatically improve the aesthetics of your smile by covering blemishes that cannot be resolved by other cosmetic dental techniques.
Veneers can be custom coloured to match the exact shade of your remaining teeth. Placement is very simple and painless, as is the tooth preparation. A special bonding agent holds the veneer firmly in place, allowing the tooth to have complete functionality.
An extremely popular and effective cosmetic dental technique, porcelain veneers can quickly revamp your stained, cracked smile into a beautiful, perfect smile.

A bridge is a specialized dental appliance that is essentially two caps, joined by one or more false teeth that are set on the teeth framing a gap in between your teeth. Bridges are used when one or two teeth have been lost on one side of the mouth and functionality and appearance has been compromised.

Bridges allow you to eat without damaging existing teeth or gums as might be the case when the gap is left unprotected. This appliance supports your existing teeth and helps them maintain their proper alignment as well.

Your bridge is created from impressions your dentist makes of your teeth, so your caps are a perfect fit. Once in place, your dentist will ensure your bite is correct with your new bridge.

Teeth that have been damaged, worn, or suffered major decay can be totally restored to their original beauty and functionality with a crown. Crowns, known also as ‘caps’, are ideal not only for enhancing the appearance of a damaged tooth, but for protecting the remaining root and tooth soft tissue as well.
Crowns are made of porcelain or precious metals, or a combination of these materials. Crowns are also used to cover discoloured fillings and to add strength to a weakened tooth

Dentures are appliances designed to replace missing teeth and can be used in that capacity as a partial, to replace 2 or 3 teeth that sat side by side, or they can be used as a full denture, replacing the entire upper or lower row of teeth. Made of metal or plastic acrylic, dentures can be colour matched to your existing teeth and are custom-fit to ensure the greatest level of functionality and natural appearance.
Dentures have an added benefit to replacing lost teeth in that they offer replacement support to cheeks, lips, and tongue which restores the wearer’s former appearance and aids in clear speech.
Dentures are an affordable way to restore a smile lost to missing teeth.