Restorations Before-After
Modern minimally invasive Restorative Dentistry.
RESTORATIONS
Composite Resin Restorations —“fillings”
Modern filling materials have improved upon old metallic fillings, they can match the tooth in colour rather than staining and darkening the tooth. The best feature of white composite resin restorations is that they bond tot the tooth surface so less tooth has to be cut away. The old Metal fillings would require extra tooth to be cut away to “wedge” in the filling.
Posterior Restorations in Composite Resin - the dark stained cavities are obvious in the first photo but not causing pain yet in the mouth. The decay is removed, clearing to sound tooth structure before the tooth is sealed and restored with Composite Resin (white filling material). This allows the tooth to be restored with keeping the natural beauty of the tooth.
Posterior Composite Resin restorations replacing failing old Amalgam (Metal) Fillings. A Porcelain Onlay has been used here on the patient’s right molar. The Porcelain Onlay is an Indirect Restoration (made outside the mouth) cemented into the tooth, this provides a stronger, longer lasting restoration of a more heavily damaged tooth.
Indirect Restorations — “Crowns, Veneers, Bridges”
When a tooth has had greater damage from decay or failing old fillings a stronger solution is recommended. Indirect restorations are constructed outside of the mouth and cemented in place. These Indirect Restorations can impart much higher strength to the remaining tooth and therefore are expected to last much longer.
This patient had large failing Amalgam (metal) fillings causing cracks and letting in new decay. The failing restorations were replaced with two Porcelain Onlays and a Porcelain Crown.
These heavily restored molar teeth had fracture lines and were causing occasional sharp pains when biting hard foods. The failing restorations have been removed and the teeth have been prepared for a Porcelain Onlay and Porcelain Crown. The Indirect Restorations should offer these teeth a return to strength close to that of the natural unrestored tooth.
These Composite Restorations were wearing out under the high stresses of chewing in molar teeth. Here they were replaced with Porcelain Onlays.