Damage or decay are common problems for our teeth that most of us will be familiar with. Generally, these are restored using a filling; either the traditional amalgam material or the increasingly popular white dental fillings that can be made to match the colour of your teeth.ย
Although this solution works well in most situations, there are types of damage, usually more significant, where fillings are not the best solution. In these situations, two of the treatments that might be used are crowns and veneers. In todayโs blog, we take a look at these versatile dentistry solutions.
While fillings can restore some damage or decay to a tooth, if too much damage has been done, they may not offer sufficient strength or longevity if used. In many cases like this, a dental crown may well be the preferred option.
Also sometimes referred to as a โcapโ, a crown is usually made of porcelain to make it look as natural as possible. These are produced by shaping the damaged tooth so that a crown can be securely attached, and then impressions are taken of the prepared tooth and sent to a special laboratory for the crown to be made. During this short period of time, temporary crowns will be fitted to protect your teeth before their final restoration.
Once the new crown has been returned to Blake Dental, you will be recalled to our practice so that it can be fitted. This is done by first removing the temporary crown and cleaning the prepared tooth before attaching the new porcelain crown using a strong clinical adhesive. Once fitted, the crown can last for a minimum of ten years if looked after correctly.
It is important that you clean this tooth despite the crown being made from a non decaying material. The rest of the tooth is natural and if it becomes decayed or damaged then the crown may become detached and a new one may need to be produced.
Crowns also play a key role in dental implant placements and are also often used to complete a root canal procedure to provide strength and give a natural appearance to the repaired tooth.
Dental veneers are most commonly made from ceramic, a strong and hard wearing material that is highly resistant to staining. Composite veneers are also available but these tend to last for a shorter period of time and are prone to staining and discolouration. For most people then, the ceramic dental veneers used at our Wickford practice are the preferred solution for the problems that veneers can address.
Like crowns, veneers can be used to restore a damaged tooth. This is most likely to be the case where a tooth has chipped or cracked. In many of these cases, their use will be largely cosmetic, helping to restore a natural look to the damaged tooth. Their use will also help to prevent the tooth from further damage too.
Veneers can also be used for purely cosmetic purposes. This is most likely to be the case where a patientโs teeth are so badly stained or discoloured that they will get insufficient improvement from say a teeth whitening procedure. Instead of attempting to improve the tooth colour, a fine layer of the affected enamel will be removed and replaced with a fine layer of porcelain and shaped and polished to provide a natural appearance.
Patients who suffer from tooth sensitivity can also benefit from the use of teeth veneers. Eroded tooth enamel makes them more susceptible to both hot and cold temperatures. Whilst the sensitivity sensation may be mild for some, for others it can be very painful indeed and veneers are very useful for resolving this issue.
Finally, in a small number of situations, such as closing a gap between the top two front teeth (diastema), it may be possible to use veneers for this purpose although orthodontic treatment may be needed depending on the severity of the problem.
Interestingly, veneers first came about during the Hollywood era when stars such as Bogart and Bacall smoked a lot, leaving their teeth discoloured. This made romantic close up shots a problem and a dentist, Dr Charles Pincus, created temporary veneers that could be fitted over the teeth for the purpose of these shots. This is where the term โHollywood Smileโ most likely came from.
Both veneers and crowns can be produced in a shade to match that of your natural teeth, enhancing and blending in with your smile.
If you have sensitive or cracked teeth or feel you might have a problem requiring either of these treatments, why not give us a call to have it checked by one of our experienced dental team? You can be sure that you will be in good hands at our practice and we are happy to guide you through the process of both treatments if required.
If you would like to contact us about either of the treatments mentioned in this blog, or for any other dental related reason, please call Blake Dental today on 01376 501688.