As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat (although we don’t know anyone who has actually tried). And with cosmetic dentistry at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, there is more than one way to fix a tooth.
If you are the lucky owner of a set of perfectly healthy teeth, you may never need any of these procedures. However, if you are like most of us, you will probably need to restore a tooth eventually. Today’s post looks at six restoration procedures that are used routinely to repair damaged teeth:
A Porcelain Veneer
These wafer-thin covers can hide a chip or crack or fix the alignment of a tooth that is slightly crooked.
A Filling, Inlay, or Onlay
This procedure has been used to restore teeth for over a century though the materials and techniques have advanced. One fairly new option is white filling replacement for metal fillings. A traditional filling is shaped and molded after it is applied to the tooth. Because inlays and onlays are created in a dental lab, they are frequently called indirect fillings. Inlays are applied to just the center of the biting surface of a tooth (not to a cusp or point) and are frequently smaller than onlays. An onlay restores one or more cusps of a tooth.
Dental Bonding
Bonding, officially called direct composite veneers, is used to correct chips, cracks, stains, and make teeth longer. It is also sometimes used to fill cavities. A skilled cosmetic dentist applies pliable composite resin and molds it to the specific shape needed. The resin is then hardenend with a special curing light.
A Dental Crown
A crown replaces the entire visible portion of the tooth, restoring appearance, strength, and function. Crowns are used for teeth that have had a root canal, teeth with acute decay, the replacement tooth in a dental bridge, and the visible portion of a dental implant. Crowns can be made of all metal (such as gold), porcelain-fused-to-metal, all ceramic, or all resin.
Dental Implants
Many dentists consider a tooth implant to be the ultimate restoration because it restores the entire tooth – both root and crown. Most dental implant recipients report that the implant is indistinguishable from a natural tooth. Another boon is the fact that an implant can prevent bone recession which is common at an extraction site. Dental implants are used in a variety of applications such as anchoring dentures and dental bridges.
For more information about any of these cosmetic dentistry procedures, call Boulder County Smiles. We also treat sleep apnea and other conditions. Make an appointment with us today.
Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:
303-665-5335
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026
