Metal-Free Restorations
Dentistry can be a work of art! At Formosa Dental Arts, we use only tooth-colored restorations to maintain the natural appearance of your teeth, even after you've had dental work done.
Benefits of Tooth-Colored Restorations
Until a couple of decades ago, it was common to restore teeth with metal restorations. While metal is long-lasting and provides a solution to broken, decayed, or missing teeth, it can cast a dark shadow over the appearance of your smile. Additionally, some patients have metal allergies or concerns when it comes to mercury-containing dental fillings.
While the American Dental Association has found no long-term health risks to using amalgam fillings, many patients prefer the BPA-free resin composite fillings. Composite fillings require the removal of less healthy tooth structure than amalgam fillings, allowing us to preserve more of your natural tooth structure.
As a courtesy to our patients and to protect the esthetics of your smile, we proudly offer tooth-colored fillings, crowns, implant crowns, and bridges.
Composite Tooth-Colored Fillings
Most patients will experience at least one instance of decay during their lifetimes. Regular fluoride toothpastes, dental cleanings, and good home care habits can reduce your likelihood of suffering from decay. Dental decay is often diagnosed using digital dental x-rays. Routine dental x-rays help us diagnose decay in its earliest stages when it is easiest to treat.
After diagnosis, Dr. Alexander Chang will numb your tooth, if necessary. If the decay is small and only affects the enamel of your tooth, you may not need any anesthetic. Once your tooth is numb, Dr. Chang will remove all signs of decay and bacteria. He will fill the cavity with composite that matches the shade of your tooth, creating a seamless appearance. He will then cure the composite with a light that causes it to harden immediately.
After polishing your filling to a shine, your treatment is complete and you can eat on it right away. Be careful about hot beverages or chewy foods if your tooth is still numb!
Porcelain, Ceramic, and Zirconia Crowns and Bridges
Cracked, severely decayed, or structurally compromised teeth require more support than a filling. A dental crown completely covers your tooth structure from the gumline to the chewing surface and can dramatically improve the longevity of your tooth.
If you have ever seen crowns with a dark margin, you know that it can affect your appearance. The esthetics of today’s restorations allow for us to create incredibly durable and long-lasting crowns without metal margins – especially for your front teeth, where it is more noticeable.
The material that will work best for your crown depends largely upon your personal preference, the location of your crown, and how much force will be absorbed from chewing. We can discuss the best options for you during your evaluation.
A dental bridge fills in the gap in your smile. By using porcelain or ceramic materials, we can create both attractive and durable dental bridges to give you your smile back.
Contact Us to Learn More about Esthetic Restorations
If you require dental work but want to maintain the beauty of your smile, contact our Irvine, CA dental office to learn more about tooth-colored fillings, dental crowns, and bridges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural teeth have pits and grooves that are sometimes difficult to clean. Take a look at figure 1. It shows a magnified view of what it looks like when the tip of a toothbrush bristle reaches the groove of a tooth. It is unable to clean deep down inside the grooves of our teeth. This is when sealants come into play. Sealant, a resin material, are used as a preventative restoration and seal the grooves as depicted in figure 2. This way, cavity along the pits and grooves of our teeth can be prevented.
In fact, an article from this August's The Journal of the American Dental Association encourages clinicians to increase the use of sealants since they:
- are effective in preventing pit-and-fissure cavity when compared to no sealants or just fluoride varnish applications.
- can minimize the progression of initial cavity lesions if enamel is not compromised.
It is time to think and plan ahead with preventative measures in order to protect your teeth from cavities!
Many patients wish to improve the appearance of their smiles but worry about fitting their cosmetic dentistry into their budgets. Cosmetic dentistry provides many versatile options to improve your smile for every budget.
From small changes to full smile makeovers, Formosa Dental Arts is your destination for a beautiful smile. Some of the options we provide include:
Zoom! teeth whitening – One of the most affordable ways to achieve a more beautiful and younger looking smile is with laser teeth whitening. You can expect to see up to six shades of improvement in a single visit!
Cosmetic dental bonding – To repair small chips and gaps and make other minor repairs to your smile, we can use composite material that comes in a wide variety of shades to match your natural teeth. Bonding is an inexpensive way to spruce up your smile conservatively. We add composite to your existing tooth structure rather than prepping your entire tooth.
Tooth-colored restorations – At our Irvine, CA dental office, we provide tooth-colored restorations that complement rather than mar your smile. Our highly-esthetic and long-lasting restorations will provide reliable stability.
The best way to learn about how much cosmetic dentistry will cost for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Alexander Chang to discuss the goals for your health and your appearance.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Alexander Chang DDS
To earn his Doctorate of Dental Science degree, Dr. Chang graduated from NYU College of Dentistry in 2011 and continued his training by seeking certification in Invisalign and dental implant placement and restoration in order to deliver quality, comprehensive services to his patients. He also attended DOCS Education to receive certification in Oral Conscious Sedation for Adult Patients in 2015.
Dr. Chang values being able to contribute to his community by educating patients and making a positive impact on their oral health. He approaches both small cases and full-mouth cases with ...
