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Restorative Dentistry for Natural-Looking Tooth Restoration

In dental materials, composite resins are just about the most exciting thing to come down the pike in a long while. Resins may well symbolize the value of long-term, persistent research. From humble beginnings in 1956, the search for an effective adhesive dental filling has culminated in resin materials - versatile, relatively strong, with cosmetic superiority. Quite a return from plastic mixed with glass beads and such.

What's amazing about filling a tooth with resin (vs. gold or silver amalgams) is the nature of the bond to the tooth. The enamel is first treated with a mild acid to create microscopic pores on the surface of the tooth. Once the resin is applied, a mechanical - not chemical - bond is formed. Sort of like dental velcro. Then the resin can be sculpted, tinted, and polished to look like the real thing.

So what do composite resins mean for cosmetic dentist patients? Let's count the ways.

Pit and fissure sealants

The best bargain in cosmetic dentistry, and proven cavity fighters to boot, are pit and fissure sealants. Sealants are a composite resin painted on back teeth, where tooth decay typically occurs in children. One sealant session, with check-ups now and then, provides cavity prevention - indefinitely.

Tooth bonding

Dental bonding is an umbrella term for placing composite resin restorations, from tooth-colored inlays to reshaping chipped teeth. For the right candidate, bonding is a comfortable, quick alternative to dental crowns, and a real boon to simple cosmetic dental care procedures. Less of your healthy tooth is removed, so it's essentially a conservative tooth restoration procedure.

Protecting exposed roots

In adults, a receding gum can expose the roots of teeth, an uncomfortable situation at best. Along with other adhesives, we apply resins directly to the root surface to help prevent tooth decay, and make the teeth less sensitive to hot and cold.

Orthodontic appliances

Teeth straightening just became easier. We can use resins to bond braces directly to teeth, so heavy bands around teeth, in some cases, can be dispensed with. The new invisible braces, along with bonding, make adult orthodontics an appealing alternative to crooked teeth.

Move over, amalgam

Well, not really. Composite resins may never replace old standby filling materials, especially on back teeth. But resins have taken their rightful place in cosmetic dentistry, complimenting metal amalgams, and they can only get better.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Cosmetic Tooth Bonding Fixes Damaged Teeth

Cosmetic dentistry is everywhere these days.

With new materials, especially dental "superglues," we're reshaping teeth, filling gaps between teeth, restoring broken teeth, replacing missing teeth, placing lighter braces. The technique is called dental bonding, and the aesthetic result is wonderful.

But it's not forever.

The American Dental Association puts the life of tooth bonding materials at about five years. This may be a conservative estimate, but there will come a time when a bond needs attention.

In general, if you treat a bonded tooth like your other teeth, you'll keep your dental restoration intact longer. Lax home care habits or the wrong foods can hasten wear and tear.

So go easy. If your tooth restoration is brand new, or years old and still flawless, keep smiling. With care, we've seen dental bonding last a long, long time.

Here are some reminders to help lengthen the life of your dental restoration.

• Expect to come in more often just after your tooth restoration is placed. The edges of bonded restorations need a once-over after a few months to verify a smooth fit. And we'll check to make sure there is no gum irritation, too.
• Certain unforgiving foods can threaten any dental restoration. Watch nuts, hard candies, some fresh fruits - a bond could crack. We don't see it often, but with heavy-handed treatment, veneers can pop right off - not a real confidence-builder in a crowd.
• Nail-biting and ice-chewing are out.
• Use a non-abrasive toothpaste and a soft brush.
• Coffee, tea, colas, and cigarettes, of course, are not your restoration's best friends. They stain, among other unsavory things.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.