Restorative Dentistry Services at South Lakewood Dental In Lakewood CO
Crowns! Now there's a word that brings memories to most of us who have crowns would like to forget! For many years the choice was - get a crown or lose the tooth! Enter progress - “biomimetics”!Biomimetics - Bio (nature) + Mimetic (mimicking) = Mimicking nature
Teeth bend. Teeth flex. Teeth expand and contract. Teeth absorb stress and pressure - if they didn't, they would fracture to pieces. Crowns do not bend, or flex, or expand and contract like a tooth - they are rigid. So what happens when you put a rigid crown on a “flexible” tooth? Decay, infection and/or abscess, pain, root canals, extraction, possible implant to replace the tooth - sound familiar? To be fair, a percentage of crowns are successful, but there is a better way to restore significantly damaged teeth and get a more predictably successful long term result. If you’ve had a crown, you know that the tooth is ground down to a fraction of its original size to allow room for a crown to be made to cover it. There’s the problem - most of the protective structure of the tooth (in many cases healthy structure) is removed! This is big trauma for the tooth and what is left is expected to support the crown and last for years - good luck!Biomimetic Dentistry – A New Alternative
- Do you have old dentistry that is falling apart?
- Do you have cracked teeth?
- Have you been told you need crowns? Are you seeking another choice?
- Would you like less invasive dentistry?
- Would you like to prevent root canals and tooth loss if possible?
- Is prevention important to you?
There is a better way!
What if we could “rebuild” a tooth using materials that look and act just like a natural tooth? What if we could save the healthy parts of a tooth and only remove and rebuild parts that were damaged? What if we could microscopically seal that tooth so no bacteria could get inside again? What if we could do this all in one appointment?“What if” is here now!
Biomimetic dentistry is here – we are doing it in this office every day and have been for more than 7 years. Our patients tell us this is the best thing they have ever done for their teeth. Research is telling us that teeth restored in this way are far less likely to progress to abscess, root canal, and possibly eventual extraction. This therapy is comparable to a crown in cost!What are you waiting for?
Why We Restore Teeth with Biomimetics!
With crowns/caps, there is considerable and needless loss of healthy tooth structure. The tooth is essentially reduced to a “peg”.
With biomimetics, there is minimal to no loss of healthy tooth structure – only decay, areas of fracture/ compromised tooth structure, and problematic old dentistry are removed.
Crowns/caps rely on cement (glue) to hold them in place. This is a weak link with risk for leaking, further decay, and infection. Once the crown is placed, the tooth parts under the crown cannot be seen visually or with an x-ray.
A biomimetic restoration is sealed from the inside – out, eliminating pathways for bacteria to re-enter the tooth. This greatly reduces/eliminates the incidence of infection/ root canals and further decay. A tooth restored this way can be examined both visually and with an x-ray.
Crowns/caps have edges that sit on or near the gum line making cleaning/maintenance more difficult and increasing the risk of gum problems. This is also the cause of the “dark line” seen around the gum area of many crowns.
A biomimetic restoration does not have edges. In most cases, the area around the gum is not involved in the restoration and remains natural tooth. This is much easier to maintain – less risks for cavities/better gum health – and the esthetics are natural.
The rigid construction of a crown/cap prevents the natural flex and function of a healthy tooth. Many crowns are fabricated with metal frameworks. When a “rigid” crown is put on top of a “flexing” tooth, the risk for failure is high – abscess, root canals, extraction.
A biomimetic restoration is constructed in “layers” using materials that mimic the natural properties of tooth structure – flex, expansion/contraction, and shock absorption. This allows the tooth to continue to function as it was meant to. No metals are used.
In many cases, a temporary crown is placed for a number of days until the permanent crown is fabricated, A second appointment is needed to fit the crown and cement it.
A biomimetic restoration is most often completed in one appointment – no temporaries. A bite adjustment may be needed the next day.
SUCCESS STORIES
Enter biomimetics - only the damaged portion of the tooth is removed (decay, fractures) and any remaining old fillings / restorations. Then, using non-metal, life-like materials, the tooth is “rebuilt” layer by layer just like the real tooth. So, it can bend, it can flex, it can expand and contract and it can absorb stress and pressure as it was naturally designed to do! The tooth is completely sealed from the inside out so nothing can get inside to cause more decay or infection.
This is all done in one appointment - no temporaries and no coming back to fit the crown! Is this really possible - yes!
We invite you to join the many delighted patients who are enjoying “biomimetically restored” teeth!
We have been restoring teeth this way for over 10 years - it has changed our perspective and the way we practice!
Call us on (855) 233-0023 or Request an Appointment
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Dr. Scott Stewart - South Lakewood Dental
Whilst being passionate about his service to the community, Dr. Stewart is a revolutionary in his approach to tackling dental health care issues. He is a firm believer in the harmonious balance of the body as opposed to treating symptoms. He emphasizes on the holistic practice of wellbeing and addressing underlying issues to make the “whole person” healthier.
