Invisible restorations of front teeth are often called bonding. With modern tooth-colored materials called composites, we can repair cavities, make teeth longer or wider, or cover discolored areas. Although composite materials are not as long-lasting as porcelain, they are often the best choice for smaller restorations and changes, and for fairly major changes to just one or two teeth.

Do you, or people you know, have teeth that are filled with black or silver material? Even though these are often not one of the six front teeth that are obvious in a mirror, dark fillings can ruin the appearance of your smile when seen from the side or when you are talking.

There are also major advantages, besides esthetics, when these tooth-colored materials are used instead of old-fashioned amalgam (silver-mercury mixture). Tooth-colored restorations are generally bonded into or over the healthy part of the tooth. This means that the restored tooth is nearly as strong as a brand new tooth, instead of weakened by a silver-mercury filling. Bonding also eliminates the need to grind away healthy tooth structure to hold the restoration in place, as is often necessary with silver-mercury filling materials. Part of our goal is to save as much healthy tooth structure as possible.

Strong and esthetic materials made of porcelain and resin mixtures are now the state-of-the-art for restoring back teeth. Whether we are restoring the tiniest cavities of major broken areas, porcelain, composite, and polymer-based tooth-colored restorations are both beautiful and functional, and can greatly enhance the appearance of your smile.

 

Invisible Restorations Before and After