When it comes to dentistry, the materials used are just as important—if not more—as the dentist’s expertise. The materials used for Columbus veneers aren’t the same as onlays or implants, and that’s because each procedure is designed to fulfill different purposes.
Restorative dentistry provides strength to the bite, lasts longer, and prevents further decay from spreading. With scientific advancements, more and better materials have been discovered to meet these requirements. To help you learn about them, we created this guide.
Here are the most commonly used materials for restorations and the benefits each one has to offer.
The Complete Guide to Dental Restorative Materials
The history of restorative material in dentistry dates back centuries. The first usage of gold in dentistry dates from 4,000 years ago in Southeast Asia.
Previous generations discovered the usefulness of this material in dentistry, as it is highly malleable, resistant to corrosion, and has the ideal level of hardness. It's strong enough to withstand chewing motions but soft enough to avoid damaging your natural teeth.
The only downside to gold is that it can be very expensive.
The need for more cost-accessible restorative materials and the lack of gold in many regions led to dental amalgam becoming a widespread option. Its lower costs, ease of application, and strength made it the dental restorative material of choice in the 1800s.
Since then, many restorative materials have come and gone. The advent of these new materials hasn’t eliminated the usefulness of more traditional options like gold and dental amalgam. Still, each one brought a unique set of benefits that made it stand out from the rest.
Types of Dental Restorations
Nowadays, dentists have a variety of materials to use in dental restorations. Although some are more resistant than others, we can’t say that they are inherently better.
The best restorative material is the one that best fulfills the patient’s needs, be it appearance, clinical, or budget. And that depends entirely on the type of dental restoration conducted.
Direct Restorations
As the name indicates, these restorative materials are placed directly into a tooth in one single appointment. This means there’s no need for a dental laboratory for fabrication or provisional restorations while the design is being completed.
Direct restorative materials are used to fix small chips and cracks in teeth or as fillings for cavities. Once the deteriorated tissue has been extracted, the substance is inserted into the cavity, shaped, and bonded firmly.
Indirect Restorations
Indirect restorations cannot be fabricated inside the mouth and must be developed outside of the mouth before being placed. This includes crowns, bridges, dental implants, inlays, onlays, and veneers.
If your dentist has an in-office milling machine, it can be used to fabricate these restorations instead of a dental laboratory. If that’s not the case, placing the indirect restoration will typically require two dental appointments.
The first appointment is to prepare the tooth by removing decay or damaged tissue and obtaining the necessary information for fabrication. The restoration can take 1-2 weeks to be completed, so a temporary restoration is needed in the meantime. Then, an appointment is set to bond the new restoration in place.
This can be avoided with an in-house laboratory, though.
More than small cavities, indirect restorations can restore teeth with more damage than direct restorations. They can endure the force of chewing for longer periods before needing to be replaced because they are composed of materials that offer the tooth additional protection.
Materials for Direct Restorations
Direct dental restorative materials can be placed directly into a tooth cavity within one office visit. They are used to restore small damage and can be fulfilled in one appointment.
Dental Amalgam
Amalgam is a mercury-containing alloy that has been used in restorative dentistry for years. In fact, its first documented use dates back to the Chinese Tang dynasty in 659.
As a material, amalgam is safe, effective, and suitable for heavy-load-baring teeth like the molars. However, because it’s made of metal, it has a silver color that makes it less aesthetically pleasing and limits its usage in anterior teeth.
Resin Composites
Resin composite is a more visually pleasing option than amalgam. This tooth-colored filling is composed of an organic polymerizable resin matrix, inorganic filler material, and a coupling agent.
Many resin materials need to be light-cured, which can be a downside. Dental offices would need to acquire expensive curing devices and protective equipment for their patients and themselves.
Glass Ionomers
Glass ionomer is a commonly used term for glass polyalkenoate cements. They were developed as dental restorative materials in the 1970s by combining glass powder with polyacrylic acid, a biocompatible adhesive.
Glass ionomers are primarily intended as cavity fillings in non-load-bearing teeth. They are very effective at fluoride recharging, protecting against future caries. Additionally, they have a short and simple application procedure because they’re less likely to react to moisture.
Because of that, they’re especially helpful in a pediatric dental environment.
Materials for Indirect Restorations
Indirect restorations are the ones that cannot be designed inside the mouth. They’re used in cases where the level of decay is severe and the area of restoration larger, including cases where patients need a full smile makeover.
Because of that, indirect restorative materials must be highly resistant while still offering a natural-looking appearance. Here’s the list of compounds that fulfill those requirements.
E-max®
E-max® is a ceramic crown made with lithium distillate glass. This substance is a mixture of quartz, lithium dioxide, phosphor oxide, alumina, potassium oxide, and other elements.
As a result, E-max® crowns offer excellent durability while maintaining translucency and natural-looking aesthetics. However, due to their translucent nature, they are not the best veneer option for concealing dark discoloration.
Empress®
Empress dental crowns are made entirely of leucite glass ceramic, which makes them one of the most realistic-looking restorations available. Moreover, they can last for up to 15 years.
Lava™ Zirconia
This restorative material is made from a Lava zirconia block and layered with feldspathic Lava Ceram porcelain, which gives it a natural-looking appearance. It’s allergy-free and stable over time.
Lava™ Zirconia is mostly used for crowns and bridges.
Procera® Zirconia
Nobel Biocare™'s Procera Zirconia restorations are strong, aesthetic, biocompatible, and significantly reduce plaque and bacteria. The implant bridge is highly suitable for anterior and posterior full arch restorations.
BruxZir® Zirconia
BruxZir is a material composed fully of zirconia. It’s used in crowns, bridges, screw-retained implant crowns, inlays, and onlays. Due to its strength and durability, it’s ideal for patients who grind or clench their teeth.
High Noble Metal Ceramics
Noble alloys are often called the standard by which other dental materials are judged. They’re ideal for extensive repairs. To be considered high noble restorations, they need to be composed of a minimum of 60% gold, platinum, palladium, and silver.
Learn About Materials Used for Columbus Veneers, Implants, and More!
With ongoing advances in top-quality restorative materials, patients have more options to choose from. Whether they prefer a natural-looking color or guaranteed strength, each option has advantages and disadvantages.
At Spectrum Dental & Prosthodontics, we will discuss your needs and all available options to assist you in making an informed decision tailored to your clinical requirements and budget.
If you’re interested in learning more, give us a call!
Recent posts
Categories
.png)
