Metal-free Fillings

Dental restorations not only help improve oral health, but they also enhance the smile’s appearance. In years past, dental restorations often resulted in a mouthful of metal, but recent technological advances have developed other dental materials, such as porcelain and composites, for use in fillings, crowns, veneers and bridges. These new materials have a more natural appearance that approximates the tooth’s original shade, and they are long-lasting.

The different restorative procedures are used for specific purposes. For example, fillings are used to replace a relatively small amount of tooth material that is missing due to cavities or some other tooth injury. Alternatively, crowns, which cover the top of the tooth, are used when the tooth is more extensively damaged.

For many of our Frisco dental patients, veneers have become a particularly popular procedure for creating more beautiful smiles. Veneers can be used to improve the smile’s shade, smooth out crooked teeth, or fill in gaps between the teeth. In order to prep a tooth for a veneer, your dentist will first remove a thin layer of enamel from the tooth. This layer will be equal in thickness to the veneer layer that will be applied and bonded to your tooth.

It is important to remember that veneers are permanently bonded to the teeth, and anyone considering dental veneers should consult with a cosmetic dentist, who will be able to develop a treatment plan. Porcelain veneers are generally preferred to composites because of their durability.