Cosmetic Dentistry

Metal Free Dentistry

Silver amalgam dental fillings containing small amounts of mercury have been used to restore decayed teeth for over a century. Silver fillings though they last a considerable length of time have several distinct drawbacks as a restorative material.

Silver fillings:

• Expand and contract at a different rate than the surrounding natural tooth structure when hot and cold substances are placed in the mouth causing internal stresses within the teeth that tend to crack teeth over time.
• Do nothing to strengthen a tooth only weaken it.
• Do not blend in with the surrounding natural tooth structure and dramatically stand out when patients smile, talk or eat.
• Even small silver fillings can discolor a tooth giving it a dark or grey hue.
• Concern patients with the presence of mercury in them

Because of all the disadvantages listed above many patients are requesting to have their silver fillings replaced with more biocompatible and esthetically pleasing composite or ceramic materials. These materials expand and contract more closely to natural tooth structure helping to limit internal stresses within the tooth. In fact once bonded into the tooth they help restore some of the original strength to the tooth. Metal free restorative options to silver fillings are composite fillings, porcelain inlays, and porcelain onlays.

Some patients do not want metal in their crowns either. There are metal free options for these restorations as well. (see porcelain jacket crowns.)

Composite Bonding

The majority of patients in need of fillings choose tooth colored, composite bonded restorations over traditional silver filling. Composite fillings are more esthetic than their silver counterpart and they are biologically better for the tooth. When placed in the tooth composite fillings are actually bonded (“glued”) to the surrounding tooth structure. This bonding process helps strengthen the remaining tooth structure, which is in the opposite of silver fillings, which weaken tooth structure leading to cracks and fractured teeth.

Composite fillings can be much more conservative in size than silver fillings because more tooth structure is able to be preserved due to the retentive capabilities of the bonded composite material. This means less of your natural tooth structure needs to be removed in order to restore your tooth properly.

Composites can also be used to restore front teeth. Patients who want the size, shape, position or color of their front teeth modified may do so with composite bonded restorations. This type of restoration is less expensive than porcelain veneers, but is also more likely to stain, chip and require replacement sooner than their porcelain counterpart.

Porcelain Inlays

Porcelain inlays are an alternative to silver and composite filling materials. They are commonly used to restore decayed teeth and to replace old, leaking, damaged silver or composite fillings.

Porcelain inlays are made from highly esthetic tooth colored porcelains and are more natural looking than metal fillings. Once bonded into your tooth they blend in so well with your own tooth structure, they seem to disappear. Porcelain inlays are a wonderful way to restore your smile to its natural beauty and function while at the same time strengthening the remaining tooth structure. These restorations are more esthetic than silver fillings and more durable than tooth-colored composite fillings lasting at least twice as long, if not longer. Composite tooth-colored fillings last approximately 5 to 10 years whereas porcelain inlays last 15 to 20+ years.

If you are need of some new dental restorations or the replacement of some old ones, porcelain inlays may be a viable treatment option for you.

Porcelain Onlays

Circumstances often arise where the destruction to a tooth either by decay (caries) or traumatic fracture makes it impossible to restore the tooth simply with a filling. If there is sufficient, healthy tooth structure remaining it is our desire to provide our patients with the most conservative dental restoration possible. Oftentimes this is a porcelain onlay.

Porcelain onlays enable us to provide you with a beautiful restoration that closely resembles the appearance and hardness of your natural tooth without having to remove as much tooth structure as with a crown. Porcelain onlays require the removal of the old filling and the portion of the tooth damaged due to decay, cracks, or weakened by the old filling. We are then able to replace this portion of the tooth with a piece of porcelain that is bonded to your tooth while leaving the healthy part of the tooth untouched. Once the porcelain onlay is bonded to the tooth, the tooth is almost as strong as it was when you first got it.

Besides being less invasive, most onlays will not impinge on the gingival (gum) tissue providing a healthier environment for the gums, while strengthening the tooth. These restorations are very strong and can last for decades, replacing form and function, and enhancing your smile.

• Do you have large, old, silver fillings in your teeth?
  • Would you like your teeth to look more natural?
  • Do you wish your silver fillings did not show when you smile?
  • Do you dislike the grey discoloration of your teeth caused by the silver fillings?
  • Are you concerned about mercury leakage?
• Do you have broken or cracked teeth?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then porcelain onlays may be for you.

Porcelain Jacket Crowns

Porcelain jacket crowns, unlike traditional porcelain fused to metal crowns, have no metal in them. They are crowns entirely made out of ceramics creating a more translucent and life-like replication of your natural tooth than porcelain fused to metal crowns.

CEREC (Computer Aided Design – Computer Aided Manufacturing)

CAD-CAM (Computer Aided Design – Computer Aided Manufacturing) porcelain jacket crowns are single visit all ceramic restorations. This all ceramic crown is custom fabricated in about an hour and cemented permanently. No more temporaries, second appointments or additional injections are necessary if you are a candidate for this type of porcelain jacket crown.

• Do you have old crowns on your teeth?
  • Do they look chalky or opaque in appearance?
  • Would a different color, size, length or shape improve the appearance or your smile?
  • Are unsightly grey or black lines showing around your gumline?
• Do you have large, stained or discolored fillings in your teeth?
• Do you want metal free dental restorations?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then porcelain jacket crowns may be for you.