A dental restoration, or dental filling, is a dental restorative substance used to reinstate functionality, integrity and morphology of missing teeth structure. The structural loss usually results from decay or external trauma. It is also lost deliberately during preparation of tooth for improvement of its aesthetic appearance or the physical consistency of the intended restorative material. Dental restoration also refers to the replacement of missing tooth structure that is supported by dental implants.
Dental restorations can be categorized into two broad types, which are direct and indirect restorations. All dental restorations can be further divided by their location and magnitude. A root canal filling is a restorative method used to fill the space where the dental pulp usually resides.
Restoring a tooth to a good form and function requires two stages: preparing the tooth placement of restorative materials, and placement of the restorative materials. The process of preparation usually engages in incising the tooth with specialized dental burrs, to make space for the planned restorative materials, and to remove any dental caries or portions of the tooth that are structurally severed. If the permanent restoration cannot be done immediately after the tooth preparation, temporary restoration may be carried out.
The prepared tooth, which is ready for placement of restorative materials, is usually called a tooth preparation. According to Collierville dentists, substances used can be gold, amalgam, dental composites, resin-reinforced glass ionomers, porcelain or any other materials. Preparation can be either intracoronal or extracoronal. Intracoronal preparations serve to hold restorative material within the structure of the crown of a tooth. Examples include all kinds of cavity preparations for composite or amalgam, as well as those for gold and porcelain inlays. Extracoronal preparations serve as a core or base upon which or around which restorative material will be placed to bring the tooth back into a functional or aesthetic tooth structure. Examples are crowns and onlays, as well as veneers.
In the preparation of a tooth for restoration, a number of concerns have to be considered in order to determine the type and extent of the preparation. A Collierville dentist would most probably tell you that the most important factor to consider is decay. For the most part, the extent of dental caries will define the degree of the preparation, and in turn, the subsequent procedure and appropriate materials for restoration.
Another factor a reputable dentist Collierville has would stress out is the unsupported tooth structure. Unsupported enamel can be present where the underlying dentin was removed because of infiltrating decay. When preparing a tooth to receive restoration, unsupported enamel is removed to allow for a more calculated restoration. While enamel is the hardest substance found in the human body, it is actually brittle, and unsupported enamel breaks easily.
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