Tooth coloured bonded restorations
Dr Hugo Lemmen uses CEREC cad/cam for the fabrication of porcelain veneers, inlays and onlays.
It is important to note that the size of a cavity, the position of the tooth in the mouth and the amount of biting force exhibited on the restored tooth will determine the suitable material to be used for the restoration. This can be either porcelain or composite.
Dental bonding is a technique that has been used in cosmetic dentistry for many years and can transform your smile in just a single visit. The process involves the skilful and artistic use of the correct amount and colour of dental composite, which is a mouldable material with a paste like consistency made from acrylic resins and a variety of filler, depending on the type used.
At the Perfect Smile dental studio the porcelain restorations are milled from solid blocks of porcelain, which have been scanned with x-rays to make sure they have no imperfections. Your dentist will determine what type of porcelain will be suited best for your restoration. All is done in a single visit.
Porcelain and composite bonding is used for a variety of cosmetic dental procedures including:
- Filling dental cavities - "white fillings"
- Replacing metal or amalgam fillings
- Repairing broken and chipped teeth
- Closing gaps between teeth (diastema)
- Reshaping teeth
- Smile makeovers - composite veneers, although porcelain veneers are the better option for this
Can composite bonding be used for all cavities?
Composite is not suitable if you have large cavities in your teeth, as the material does not have a strong structure over large areas.Composite is ideal for small fillings that are not exposed to great forces. With recent advances in dental technology, many dentists are turning to the use of CEREC CAD/CAM technology to produce ceramic fillings (inlays and overlays), which have the advantages of both strength and aesthetics, and can be fitted in the same visit within an hour. Some practices may have their dental technicians to fabricate a ceramic filling which can take 2-3 weeks.
What are the disadvantages to composite bonding?
The main drawback of bonding is that it doesn't have the strength of other restorative materials such as ceramic or porcelain. It has a greater tendency to stain than your surrounding natural teeth. Due to polymerisation shrinkage (crimping when hardened) and expansion with heat, they are often sensitive after placement.
Can any dentist carry out bonding?
Yes - however, you must note that bonding requires a high level of artistic skill and not all dentists are equally skilled. Some cosmetic dentists will have undertaken extensive postgraduate training in the field of dental bonding. Be sure to ask your dentist what experience they have in this area and also if you can see photos of some of their previous work.