Having Dental Restorations Restored

As anyone who has ever gotten a filling or some other dental restoration will tell you, there comes a time where these things need to be replaced. More often than not, the procedure is painless. A common sight to witness in general dentistry practices is patients coming in to have their amalgam fillings replaced. These fillings have received some major attention from the media due to the fact that the amalgam alloy used to fill the teeth contains mercury. There have been conflicting reports about whether or not seepage is a true concern, but regardless, they are also prone to deterioration so eventually they need to be replaced. According to YourConfidentSmile.net, inlays and onlays are preferred over dental bonding to replace missing amalgams.

This is separate from the fact that they can be an aesthetic nuisance in some cases. The replacement process is simple enough. The filling is removed by the dentist using his drill handpiece, the interior of the tooth is cleaned and a composite filling is reseated into the area.

When it comes to cosmetic dentistry, specifically dental veneers, there is also a tremendous amount of ease involved. In most cases, patients who were outfitted with dental veneers by a skilled dentist don’t have to come in to get them replaced for ten or twenty years. During this extensive period, the veneers can succumb to damage from things like tooth grinding and clenching, use of abrasive toothpastes, poor food choices, etc.

The first order of business in replacing the veneers involves propping them off and removing the old bonding cement. This cleanup work needs to be conducted very thoroughly as to give the replacement veneers a clean surface to bond to. The easiest way for a cosmetic dentist to get every last trace of cement off is to use his dental drill. Since actual tooth structure is not being removed, the patient shouldn’t require anesthesia.

As in the initial procedure, another impression of the patients teeth may need to be taken and sent to a lab to fabricate the veneers. While this work is being completed, the teeth will be protected by a set of temporary veneers. During the second appointment, the new veneers will be installed and any excess bonding agent seepage will also be removed. If your initial set of veneers didn’t last quite as long as you’d hoped, perhaps you should consider revising some of your habits to yield a better return on your investment. Avoiding hard foods and sweets, as well as maintaining a continuous visit cycle with your general dentist are all good strategies for doing so.