Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry
Removable dentures are dentures that patients can wear or remove on their own. Dentures are usually custom-made by the dentist according to the patient’s oral conditions. Metal hooks are used to hook dentures to real teeth as supports to fill up the areas with teeth loss.
Removable dentures are relatively cheap, but there could be a strange feeling in the mouth when they are worn. The biting force and appearance they provide are also inferior to other braces. If the conditions of the oral cavity change and teeth loss increases, removable dentures may need to be remade.
Braces
Orthodontic braces made of teeth restoration materials are placed on treated crowns. They are usually used for the restoration of teeth appearance, such as colour, shape and size, teeth with substantial tissue loss and weak teeth after endodontic treatment. Common brace materials include ceramic, alloy and enamel (ceramic + alloy). All-ceramic braces, which are more fragile, are suitable for front teeth for a more pleasing look. Alloy braces are strong, durable and less harmful to teeth, but they are unsightly and suitable for molar teeth at the back. Made of ceramic and alloy, enamel braces look as pleasing as all-ceramic braces and are as strong as alloy braces, but more teeth need to be ground.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are fixed dentures that fit securely in the oral cavity to replace one or more lost teeth. They are fixed onto adjacent or remaining teeth using the protruding parts on both sides of the dental bridges as the abutments. There are two types of dental bridges, namely traditional bridges and resin-bonded bridges. Traditional bridges have a lower chance of loosening, but more teeth need to be ground. On the contrary, resin-bonded bridges are less harmful to the teeth, but there is a chance of loosening. Loosened resin-bonded bridges can be reinstalled with adhesive where conditions allow.
Dental bridges perform better than removable dentures in terms of biting force and appearance. However, if there are problems with the teeth under the bridges, the entire bridges may need to be removed to repair or remove the problematic teeth.
Ceramic Dental Veneer
Ceramic dental veneer is a thin layer of ceramic glued on teeth surface, suitable for teeth with poor colours, shapes and irregular gaps. With a minimal thickness and high transmittance, ceramic dental veneer pasted onto the teeth allows the natural colour of teeth to be shown, so the teeth usually look very pleasing and natural.
Compared with braces, ceramic dental veneer causes less damage to teeth and will not affect normal biting and chewing, so it is easy for patients to adapt. Along with the advancement of technology and materials, the ceramic used for veneer is getting increasingly strong, while the degree of resemblance is also getting increasingly high. Ceramic dental veneer can improve the shape, alignment, length and colour of teeth to achieve teeth alignment and whitening results.
