What Are Metal-Free Restorations?
Metal-free dental restorations are custom creations that can do everything from protecting and restoring your natural tooth structure to hiding imperfections and transforming your entire smile aesthetic. Instead of relying on traditional amalgam (i.e. silver, gold), our office uses zirconia and Emax materials that are more natural in appearance and healthier for both patients and the environment.
What Are the Different Types of Metal-Free Restorations?
Depending on your individual needs, Dr. Renkuntla can create all types of metal-free restorations, some of which include:
- Dental crowns
- Tooth-colored fillings
- Porcelain veneers
- Dental bridges
- Inlays or Onlays
How Are They Placed?
Each type of restoration requires its own method of placement and can take anywhere from one to two visits to complete.
Tooth-colored fillings will only require one appointment. When you arrive, we will administer a local anesthetic to make you comfortable before Dr. Renkuntla cleans out the decayed areas of your tooth. Once the areas are thoroughly rinsed from any remaining debris, he will fill it with a composite resin that is matched to your natural tooth shade. This will create a seal to protect against bacteria and restore your smile.
Dental crowns, however, will require two appointments because of the custom-creation that is required. During your first visit, our team will clean out the decayed portions of the tooth before filling it with the same composite resin. Once a curing light hardens the resin into place, your dentist will prep the tooth by filing it down to make room for the dental crown. Next, he will take impressions of the tooth and send them off along with the desired specifications for lab technicians to begin creating.
After a few weeks, you will return to our office to have your temporary crown removed and your permanent one cemented into place.
