Dental porcelain, also known as dental ceramic, offers several advantages over other dental restorative materials. First and foremost, dental porcelain closely resembles real tooth enamel. Whereas artificial teeth constructed from subpar materials look opaque, the glass content of porcelain makes it translucent and reflective, just like real teeth. Furthermore, dental porcelain is strong and resists chipping, staining, and scratches, making it an ideal material for use in extreme environments like the human mouth. Finally, dental porcelain is biocompatible, meaning that even the most sensitive patients will not experience any kind of allergic reaction to the material. Your Coppell dentist, Dr. Heeje Lee, enthusiastically recommends porcelain restorations for patients seeking beautiful, long-term solutions to missing, compromised, or unsightly teeth.
Dubbed the "instant smile makeover," porcelain veneers can take the place of several smaller cosmetic dental procedures in as little as two appointments. These thin, porcelain coverings bond directly to the front of your teeth and are perfect for:
Because veneers adhere to the front of your teeth, Dr. Lee will need to prepare the teeth by removing a very small amount of enamel. This allows the veneers to rest naturally in your smile, rather than looking large and "horsey." However, some patients have thin or compromised enamel that cannot sustain this type of preparation. In these cases, other cosmetic solutions such as bonding, tooth contouring, or whitening may improve the appearance of the teeth.
While porcelain veneers offer a primarily cosmetic option, dental crowns can also restore the health and function of your teeth. In general, dentists place crowns when decay, trauma, or endodontic surgery have compromised the structure of the tooth. Additionally, crowns can be used in bridgework and affixed to dental implants to replace an entire missing tooth. While crowns can be made from a variety of materials, including metals such as gold alloys and metal with a ceramic layer fused to the exterior, porcelain crowns, especially those made from zirconia, offer unparalleled strength and beauty. They can withstand the bite force exerted on molars and yet look realistic enough to stand in for a missing or compromised front tooth.
You will need to work with Dr. Lee to determine which option will work best for you. Veneers require that you have relatively strong enamel and provide a predominantly cosmetic solution for unsightly teeth. Porcelain crowns, on the other hand, can help preserve a compromised tooth or stand in for a missing tooth and therefore offer a more restorative solution.
To experience the benefits of modern general dentistry and prosthodontics in Coppell, TX, contact Dr. Heeje Lee at (972) 315-0811. Evergreen Dental welcomes patients from Coppell, Lewisville, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Irving, and the nearby communities.