Restorative Dentistry

What is the Vertical Dimension of Occlusion?  Laymen’s terms, please! At its most basic, the vertical dimension of occlusion is a measurement between two specific points when the teeth are biting fully.  As teeth wear or shift, this measurement changes.   It is very important if you are having major dental work that your face and your mouth are comfortable when […]

What can be done when the teeth are severely worn and uneven? Sometimes the damage to the teeth is so extensive that the only way to make a significant change is to complete what we call “Full Mouth Restorations.”  This blog describes how completing full mouth restorations provided a solution to the problem of severely worn and uneven teeth. So […]

Usually you will be able to feel if your tooth is fractured – but not always! The tooth above may feel totally normal to the tongue, but notice the fractures on all four sides of this tooth!  The patient was experiencing slight pain with chewing. Unless the tooth fracture extends down the root of the tooth or into the nerve […]

In September 2009 DMG America came out with a new product for dentists known as ICON Our Treatment Assistant, Regina, shares these notes about this exciting new product for treating small areas of decay or decalcification without using the drill as would normally be done for dental fillings! ICON stands for infiltration concept. Dentists with the use of this new […]

Bonded, Tooth-Colored Restorations –Still the Best Restoration for Small Cavities or Small Chips! Bonded, tooth-colored restorations also known as composite restorations have stood the test of time, and they are still the best restoration for small cavities!  For years dentists placed amalgam or silver fillings composed primarily of a 50/50 blend of silver and mercury.  First, the dentist would remove […]

Bad Dental Work? Decay? Defective Fillings Can Cause Serious Problems! Patients should expect their dentist to provide the highest quality dental care. While patients aren’t expected to be able to read their own x-rays, I feel it may be helpful to show you some problems we sometimes see around defective dental work. The very bright or white areas on these […]