Aesthetic dentistry refers to treatments performed in order to provide the patient with a perfect smile – both functionally and aesthetically.
Treatments performed within aesthetic dentistry:
- Metal-free (zirconia or e-max pressed ceramic) crowns
- E-max super thin pressed ceramic veneers
- Metal-free indirect fillings
- Aesthetic dental fillings
Metal-free crowns:
- Perfect aesthetics: Natural teeth are somewhat translucent, and this effect cannot be fully reached with metal-ceramic crowns. However, the colour of zirconia crowns aligns with the original colour of teeth, thus the prepared dental restoration will look completely natural. While with older metal-ceramic crowns, a grey discoloration at the gum’s edge could occur, or the metal framework could be visible due to imperfect fitting, you do not have to worry about such things with zirconia or pressed ceramic crowns. If the tooth that has to be restored is visible when laughing or speaking, we highly recommend this type.
- Durability: Zirconium oxide is a material with very high hardness that can even cut through steel, thus dental crowns prepared with a zirconium oxide framework are highly durable and may provide a solution for decades. We are also able to prepare durable dental restorations from pressed ceramic.
- Suitable in case of metal allergy: if you are not aware of your allergy for metals and get yourself a metal-ceramic dental prosthesis, you may experience several unpleasant local symptoms, such as a burning sensation in the mouth, but it can also cause skin rashes on any part of the body. Zirconia and pressed ceramic crowns do not contain any metal, therefore they can provide a safe solution for people with metal allergy as well.
- It is suitable to replace older metal-ceramic crowns: metal-ceramic crowns can be removed under local anaesthesia. The teeth under the restoration are usually suitable – after proper preparation – to support a new zirconia crown.
E-max super thin pressed ceramic veneers:
The purpose of ceramic veneers is to correct a cosmetic flaw mostly of the upper front teeth, caused by breaking or slight errors in their position or shape. Veneers cover only the visible surface of teeth, facing towards the lips. During the preparation of veneers, the material is being pressed under high pressure, – hence the name “pressed ceramic” – resulting in a precision second to none.
This allows dentists to sacrifice significantly less healthy tooth material when preparing the tooth for veneer placement compared to the other option, crowns covering the whole tooth. The appearance of ceramic veneers can be aligned perfectly to the colour and translucence of neighbouring teeth. As it is made of pressed ceramic, apart from its aesthetic appearance, its high-precision fitting makes this option the top standard of its category regarding durability as well.
The new E-max pressed ceramic material has multiple advantages. It offers a previously unprecedented natural appearance, exceeding even that of zirconia crowns, particularly at front teeth. Only their owner can know that the teeth are not original. The material is metal-free and antiallergic. Unlike other types of pressed ceramics, it has much higher mechanical resilience with a hardness similar to that of titanium, thus it is suitable for the preparation of restorations with up to 3 units. Thanks to the above, the new E-max pressed ceramic is currently the most aesthetic option when preparing crowns, veneers or 3-unit dental restorations – a sure choice for those with the highest expectations.
Advantages: aesthetic, precise fitting on the long term
Disadvantages: technologically demanding, thus expensive The preparation of ceramic veneers requires at least two visits.
(1. Preparation, obtaining dental impression, 2. Cementation.)
Metal-free indirect fillings
Indirect fillings: Inlays, onlays and overlays – safe treatment of extended tooth decay
Dental fillings that are not prepared on site by the dentist right after drilling, but are manufactured by a dental technician according to a dental impression are called inlays, onlays and overlays in the dental technical language, depending on their size. The prepared, small restoration has a shape of a dental filling and is cemented into its place during the next visit to the office. These indirect fillings are primarily used in case of extended tooth decay or to restore the crown of a root canal treated tooth.
They are usually made of gold, composite or pressed ceramic.
From an aesthetic point of view, composite and pressed ceramic are able to give the result of a practically unnoticeable dental restoration.
Aesthetic fillings
In the most common dental disease, tooth decay, a cavity is formed in the tooth by loss of tooth material, which, if left untreated, will become larger, weaken the tooth, and if the process reaches the dental pulp, root canal treatment will be necessary.
If tooth decay is already developed, the tooth needs to be restored so that it regains its original state, function, shape and colour. Thus dental fillings prevent further decay.
The restoration can be done with plastic filling materials (aesthetic filling). The usual procedure is to clean the cavity by removing the infected dental tissues with drilling under local anaesthesia, followed by pre-treatment, application of the cementing material, and placing the filling material with the proper colour layer by layer. In order to achieve the desired appearance, in some cases – particularly in case of front teeth – it is necessary to use multiple filling materials of different colour. Besides filling in cavities, aesthetic corrections are also possible, for example edge restoration, colour correction of discoloured teeth, filling in interdental gaps, etc.
We use filling materials only of premium quality in our office.