This post from The Carrollton Dentist looks at one of the miracles of modern dentistry: the dental restoration.
Let’s pretend you are a biomedical engineer working in the field of dentistry before the conception of dental restorations. The men and women of your generation who have missing or damaged teeth want to repair or replace them with a man-made substitute. You have been hired to find or create a material that can be used to engineer fillings, crowns, and dental bridges.
Consider the physical and chemical requirements of this incredible substance. It must withstand forces of 162 pounds per square inch, hundreds of times a day – day after day, year after year. It must be resistant to cracking and chipping. But there’s a catch regarding its durability; it must not hurt the enamel on opposing teeth. This material must also maintain its size and shape and be resistant to shrinking.
It must be bondable to living tooth structure as well as other materials needed for specific appliances. It must be biocompatible with the soft tissues in the mouth as well as tooth enamel, dentin, and bone. It can’t trigger allergic reactions in the wearers. It must be corrosion-resistant to the chemicals in saliva, foods, and beverages. It must resist infection regardless of ever-present bacteria in the mouth. And it can’t contain toxic chemicals that could be absorbed into the bloodstream.
And we haven’t even talked about the artistic properties yet. Ideally, this amazing material would look identical to actual teeth in color, opacity, and translucence.
Of course, we know that such a substance exists because dental restorations have been around for a long time. Presently, there are several materials used alone or in combination including porcelain, ceramic, and metals such as gold and silver amalgam. Though the metals are very strong and malleable, they don’t meet some patient’s esthetic requirements and are used mainly for back teeth.
The Carrollton Dentist offers general and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule your next checkup with us today.
Contact The Carrollton Dentist:
469-708-2049
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
2440 N Josey Ln Ste 101
Carrollton, Texas
75006
