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Steven R. Pohlhaus DDS
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Modern dentistry has many tools to restore teeth in a natural looking, more beautiful fashion. The combination of sophisticated bonding technology along with the development of durable, enamel like restorative materials is making silver fillings rapidly become a thing of the past. This page deals mostly with restoring diseased or damaged teeth to their original appearance. Below are sections dealing with the major tools the dentist has available.
Composite Resin Composite resins are what most people think of when they talk about "white fillings". Placed in the tooth in a similar fashion to traditional amalgam, these materials are improving at such a rapid rate that they can be placed in most teeth with the same confidence as silver. Typically the preparation is more conservative as well, making minimally invasive dentistry a reality, particularly when lasers are used to prepare the teeth. These fillings are most appropriate for small to medium sized restorations. Inlays/Onlays Inlays and onlays are similar to composite resin, except that the actual restoration is made by a dental lab, similar to the crown procedure. Made of composite or porcelain, these procedures result in a beautiful tooth which has been strengthened via modern bonding procedures. Once again the concept of minimal invasiveness is followed here, removing only the damaged tooth structure retaining as much precious enamel as possible. Since a lab step is involved, inlays and onlays take at least two appointments. These procedures are appropriate for medium to large restorations. Crowns Crowns are needed when too much tooth structure is damaged and composites or onlays will not work well. Modern crowns are more attractive and healthy than their predecessors as well. New porcelains are much more enamel like, wearing in a natural fashion and having a natural luster. Some crowns are made of all porcelain as well. |
704 D Nursery Road Linthicum, Maryland 21090 410-789-4999 Last modified: September 09, 2009 |
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