A few years ago, I started thinking carefully about what I could do to improve my smile. I had lived with crooked, yellowed teeth for most of my adult life, and honestly, I just wanted to feel beautiful. I started thinking about working with a cosmetic dentist, and before I knew it, I was in an office getting a complimentary consultation. I learned about a variety of different procedures that could improve my look, and it was really fun. I wanted to create a blog all about making smiles more beautiful, which is why I made this website. Check out this blog for great information about dentistry.
Your teeth are made of the hardest substance in the human body--enamel. Underneath that hard, translucent coating is a softer substance called dentine, and in the center of each tooth is a pulpy cavity. Despite enamel's durability, occasionally teeth break. If you find yourself with a broken tooth, you have 4 options.
Bonding
One of the least invasive, less expensive, and efficient solutions for broken teeth is dental bonding. Bonding is done in your dentist office. A composite resin in molded and bonded onto the teeth to repair chips, cracks, and breaks.
Bonding is a versatile procedure as it can also be used to overcome discoloration of the teeth. Indeed, even gaps can be removed by using the composite to fill in spaces between the teeth. If you want to improve your appearance by lengthening or reshaping your teeth, bonding is an inexpensive way to do so.
Frequently, no anesthesia is necessary for bonding, which helps to lower the costs. A drawback with bonding is that the resin is not as strong or long-lasting as your natural tooth. You will have to avoid chewing your fingernails and ice to keep the bonded tooth from chipping. Furthermore, the bonded resin will weaken over time. Therefore, it may need to be replaced after several years.
Crown
If the break on your tooth is larger or the tooth shows signs of decay, a better solution may be to have a crown placed on your tooth. A thin layer of your tooth's enamel will be removed. A temporary crown will be created for you in your dentist's office and temporarily bonded to your tooth. In addition, impressions will be taken to create a permanent crown that will be made in a lab. Once the permanent crown is delivered, you will have your permanent crown or cap placed over the damaged tooth more securely.
Crowns can be made of stainless steel, resin, ceramic, porcelain, or metals such as gold-alloys, chromium, or nickel. Speak with your dentist to determine which material will be the most durable and affordable based on your circumstances.
Overall, most dental insurance will pay a portion of a crown. Perhaps one disadvantage of crowns is the need for multiple visits--one for the temporary crown and another visit for the permanent crown.
Onlay or Milled Crown
On the other hand, in just one visit, you can have a crown milled from porcelain in certain dental offices. Computer software is used to create a image of the negative space of your broken tooth. Then a machine mills the crown in-office and the dentist can repair the break.
Dental onlays may be made of ceramic, porcelain, composite material, or gold. Many people prefer the ceramic and porcelain onlays because they match your natural tooth color so well. Unfortunately, much like many repair options, they may not last forever. However, one study in Austria showed ceramic onlays to be very successful lasting well over a decade.
Veneers
Another popular choice to repair small dental breaks is porcelain veneers. Thin layers of porcelain are bonded onto your natural teeth with a resin with is cured with a special light. Veneers restore and improve the appearance of your natural teeth.
Veneers may be used to overcome discoloration, chips, misshapen teeth, and gaps between teeth. Veneers do not stain easily, so coffee-drinkers have no fear of discoloration.
One drawback with veneers is that they are non-reversible. A small portion of the original tooth is removed to allow for better bonding. Therefore, if a veneer fails in the future, repairs will be necessary. Another disadvantage of veneers is their brittleness, so avoid chewing on hard substances or grinding your teeth. They can also be more expensive than some of the other options.
Speak with your dentist, one like South Florida Dental Arts, regarding which of these solutions is right for you. Your smile can soon return to its dazzling beauty!
Share17 March 2015
