Restorative Dentistry

A dental restoration or filling is a dental restorative material used artificially to restore the function, integrity shape of missing tooth structure resulting from caries or breaks. The two main materials that we use:

Dental Amalgam
Dental Amalgam is a commonly used dental filling material that has been used for over 150 years. Amalgam has many advantages such as low cost, strength, durability, and ease of use.

Dental Composites (White fillings)
Dental composites are also called white fillings. They are specialized forms of synthetic resins that have been developed to bond to your teeth. There are many advantages to tooth coloured fillings, which is why we generally place them in our office. Modern composites have been shown to predictably restore missing tooth structure with very good aesthetics.

Crown and bridgework is a very reliable solution for correcting dental problems caused through accidents, caries or wear and tear. Material used in these repairs is either high-grade porcelain, or porcelain bonded to gold.

Some people have unexplained pain from filled back teeth, which can be due to hairline cracks in the chewing part of the tooth. Placing crowns on these teeth relieves the pain and allows a return of full dental function for these teeth. After root canal treatment, your teeth are more prone to breaking. For this reason, we generally recommend a crown following root canal treatment to ensure the long term integrity of your tooth. Crowns generally last 10-15 years, although under ideal conditions they have been known to last much longer.

How long does it take and what are the procedures involved?
Fitting a crown generally takes two visits. The first appointment consists of shaping and preparing the tooth for the crown, taking an impression, and then fitting it with a temporary crown.

On the subsequent, much shorter visit, we will remove the temporary crown, and then place, adjust, and cement the final crown.

You may experience some temporary sensitivity to hot, cold, and/or biting pressure after placement of your crown. Sensitivity is totally normal and should dissipate after one to two weeks. If sensitivity persists please call the office.

What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic that are fabricated and then bonded directly to the front and top surfaces of teeth. They can be used to improve your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their simplicity and versatility.

Will they look like normal teeth?
When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin porcelain veneers are virtually undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, tea, or even cigarette stains. For strength and appearance, their resemblance to healthy, white tooth enamel is unsurpassed by other restorative options. Because they are thin, light can shine through them and they take on the natural color of the underlying tooth.

How durable are porcelain veneers?
With proper care, porcelain veneers will brighten your smile for well over a decade.

The Procedure
Preparing your tooth will take one to two hours. An impression is taken of the teeth and sent to the lab for fabrication.

At the time of your final appointment, we will first place the veneer on your teeth to check their fit and color. Once everything looks and fits well, we bond the veneer to your tooth using specialized adhesives.

You may experience some sensitivity to hot and cold after placement of your veneer. This is due to the amount of enamel left on the tooth after preparation. Sensitivity is totally normal and should dissipate after one to two weeks. If sensitivity persists please call the office.

If you think or have been known to clench or grind your teeth, please be sure to let us know. One of our dentists may recommend a soft night guard for you to wear to minimize stress placed upon your teeth while you sleep.