Cadillac Family Dental

A large number of people had amalgam fillings (silver) or gold filling restorations in the past. All amalgam fillings contained mercury. Metal fillings were effective, but very conspicuous and tended to blacken in color over time.

Tooth-colored fillings or composite resin dental fillings were created as an alternative to traditional metal dental fillings. Composite tooth colored fillings are made of a resin filled with microscopic porcelain particles. The strength of current composites is similar to the strength of silver mercury fillings. The advantage of a composite filling is that it is bonded to the tooth. Research has shown that a well-sealed composite filling can restore the strength of a decayed tooth almost to the level of an unfilled tooth.

Direct Bonding

The two images on the right are an example of "direct" dental bonding done at our office. These restorations are known as veneers. In order to accomplish this form of "instant orthodontics", tooth colored composite filling material was "bonded" to the front surfaces of the natural teeth and then carved using a hand piece (high speed drill), and slow speed polishing instruments to sculpt more esthetic (pleasant appearing) teeth in a better position. Direct veneers are very thin coats of filling material placed on teeth, which are sometimes altered (prepared) beforehand, and sometimes not. The above teeth were not prepared, and the veneers were placed without giving shots. Direct bonding is an artistic endeavor on the part of the dentist. No laboratory is involved in the production of the final product.

The two images on the left show the replacement of old composite fillings with new ones. Even though this type of work is bonded, they still are billed as simple fillings and are paid for by most dental insurance companies, while the bonded veneers shown above are considered cosmetic and are generally not covered by insurance.

Veneers

Dental veneers are thin, individual hand crafted wafers of porcelain or plastic, which can be bonded to your teeth to change their shape, color or alignment. Often an alternative to crowns, dental veneers look completely natural and are made of a very durable ceramic material that actually strengthens

your tooth! It is very common for people to have imperfect teeth, either oddly shaped teeth, chipped teeth, crooked teeth, teeth with small holes in them, or an inappropriate sized tooth or teeth that have an odd appearance. Dental veneer solves such irregularities and creates a durable and pleasing smile.

Fixed Bridge

A bridge may be recommended if you're missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

Bridges are commonly used to replace one or
more missing teeth. They span the space where the

teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth (or teeth), its function, aesthetic considerations and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

Implants

A dental implant is really a very simple metal screw which is designed to thread into the bone of the jaw and to allow for the attachment of a (prosthetic) tooth at the top. Implants are made of Medical grade Titanium or Titanium Alloy. The bone will fuse to the implant over a short period of time in a process referred to as 'Osseo integration' and once this process is successfully completed (3 to 4 months), the implant is permanently in place. Dental implants are artificial tooth root replacements that are used as a part of prosthetic (artificial replacement) dentistry in order to counter tooth loss. The loss of teeth can result from aging, trauma to the mouth or poor oral hygiene.

This patient, a 50 year old female, lost an upper bicuspid tooth. In the x-ray on the right, you can see exactly where the tooth was (this x-ray was taken only a few weeks after the tooth was extracted so the bone has not healed in yet),

noting the shape of the root which goes right up to the floor of the maxillary sinus. The x-ray on the left shows the titanium implant in place and a new porcelain-fused-to-gold crown on the implant effectively replacing the missing tooth. This x-ray was taken after the "tooth" had been in function for one year.

Tooth loss can have a negative effect on eating by causing bite-related irregularities. From an esthetic point of view, the loss of teeth can have a psychological effect on people who might feel too self-conscious to smile or talk. Regardless of the nature of problems related to tooth loss, dental implants may offer a simple remedy with proven results.