Terms To Know

All-ceramic

All-ceramic restorations are made up of entirely non-metal materials (glass) and more closely resemble natural teeth. Examples of all-ceramic restorations include: crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays, and onlays

Bridge

A bridge is a way for a dentist to fill in a space left by a missing tooth. Because a missing tooth does not have a foundation to apply a crown, the dentist prepares the two teeth on either side of the missing tooth. Then, a piece of ceramic is made which looks like three teeth but rather than being separate, they are all joined together. The two prepared teeth are covered by ceramic and the area where the missing tooth was is filled with a natural looking piece of ceramic that resembles a tooth.

Cementation

Cementation is a way to hold restorations in place within the patient's mouth.

Crown

A crown is a piece of ceramic shaped like a tooth that replaces any decayed tooth that a dentist has removed. A ceramic crown typically makes up the majority of a tooth after it is cemented in place.

Implant

Implants are an alternative to bridges which persevere the teeth adjacent to a missing tooth. In an implant procedure, an artificial root is put in place to become an anchor point for a crown which will fill in the empty space left by the missing tooth.

Impression

A mould of your teeth. Your dentist may use a putty-like substance to make this mould or use a digital imaging camera.

Minimally Invasive Dentistry

A process that aims to preserve as much natural tooth as possible. In cases where there is tooth decay, the dentist will need to remove the diseased tooth structure so that the decay does not spread.

Restoration

The finished product which changes the appearance of a tooth or corrects a dental problem.

Preparation

The act of removing decayed tooth structure to make room for a replacement restoration.

Temporary Restoration

Plastic teeth that are created and given to patients to utilize during the time their final restorations are being fabricated of ceramic. Patients can still go about daily life even with these restorations.

Translucency

Translucency refers to the amount of light that passes through a tooth. Natural teeth exhibit varying levels of translucency so it is important for a dental restoration to reveal similar properties. Restorations can be classified as high translucent or low translucent. High translucency restorations allow for maximum amount of light to pass through. Low translucency restorations are the opposite and allow minimal amount of light to pass through. Every tooth is different so your doctor can determine which option is best for you.

Treatment Plan

A specific plan that you have discussed and agreed to with your dentist about how your new smile will be created.

Veneer

A veneer is a very thin layer of ceramic that is added to the surface of a person's front teeth. In some cases, a dentist may not even need to remove any natural tooth. However, if there is decay or a drastic color change is desired, the dentist will have to reduce the size of the teeth slightly to make room for the veneer to be added.