Restorative Dentistry Apex NC

Learn more about the best restorative dentistry Apex, NC has around!

Whether diseased, fractured or missing, our dentists in Apex NC are skilled in restoring teeth back to health and function. Careful assessment of each individual’s dental situation ensures that the appropriate plan and restorative material is selected.

Composite resin (tooth colored) fillings are used in small to mid-size decayed or fractured parts of teeth. Made of a mixture of glass and plastic, composite resin provides good durability and resistance to fracture in smaller fillings that need to withstand moderate pressure from the stress of chewing. They can be usedon either front or back teeth.  Composite resins can also be used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by altering the shade of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth.

For cracked teeth, root canal treated teeth, largely filled teeth and to place on implants, crowns are the appropriate restoration. A crown is a tooth shaped “cap” that fits over a tooth, restoring its shape, size and strength. At our Apex family dentist office, we use crowns made primarily of three types of materials: gold, metal ceramic, and all-ceramic.

• Gold crowns have been used for more than one hundred years and have been shown to be incredibly strong and successful as a dental restoration.  All other crowns are compared to the “gold standard.” Because people are becoming more concerned about esthetics, however, and newer materials are improving, gold crowns are decreasing in popularity. Gold crowns remain a good option for out of sight molars.
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns have been in use for over 40 years and are a good choice for front and back teeth. Because they have a metal substructure they offer good strength and because of the porcelain, they can be color matched to adjacent, natural teeth.
• All-ceramic crowns are the best choice when esthetics is very important. Made from a translucent material, they are attractive and truly life-like, blending in well with other teeth. The e*max crown is one type of all ceramic crown prized for its longer lasting, esthetic qualities. Fabricated from a block of lithium disilicate ceramic, it is tough and durable yet still delicate in appearance.  Growing in popularity is Zirconium. Zirconium crowns are milled from a block of crystal and are essentially indestructible.  They are translucent like natural teeth providing excellent esthetics and can withstand wear and tear. They are biocompatible like gold and porcelain, but require less tooth removal and are less bulky than porcelain crowns. At Alliance Dentistry, our Apex dentists are placing more and more zirconium crowns on posterior teeth.

When replacing missing teeth, we have a few options. Complete dentures are for individuals who have lost all their teeth. Most patients function well with traditional acrylic dentures overlying their natural gum tissue. Some individuals, however, need extra reinforcement for better retention and stability, and for those cases, dental implants are ideal. A surgeon places two or more implants and then dentures are made to either snap on or be screwed into the implant providing a well fitting prosthesis.  Removable partial dentures are for patients who are missing some teeth, usually on both sides of the mouth. A removeable partial denture relies on natural teeth to support a metal and acrylic framework which holds false acrylic teeth.

In cases where only one or two teeth are missing, bridges or implants must be considered. A bridge, also called a fixed partial denture, is a permanent replacement of one or a few teeth. It is made up of two or more crowns for the teeth on either side of the space and has a false tooth or teeth in between.  It can be made of gold, metal ceramic or all-ceramic materials. Implants can be placed to replace one or more teeth as well. After a surgeon places the implant, a crown is fitted to the implant and is made to replicate the missing tooth.  To learn more about your restorative dentistry options, contact Alliance Dentistry in Apex NC.