CAD/CAM is an acronym that means computer- aided design/computer- aided manufacturing. CAD/CAM technology is used in dentistry to fabricate precise shapes and sizes for dental restorations, including inlays, onlays, crowns and bridges. Dentists use CAD/CAM technology to provide their patients with durable, well-fitted single and multiple tooth restorations in a more efficient manner than traditional lab- fabricated restorations.
Zirconia is a ceramic material that has been used to create substructures in cosmetic dentistry to give crowns and bridges a whiter brighter more translucent quality. Zirconia is 100% biocompatible and crowns and bridges based on Zirconia are the strongest and most aesthetically translucent restorations available in dentistry today -- up to five times stronger than all- porcelain restorations. Nothing looks more like natural teeth.
In the past, dentists used to say that crowns or bridges need to be replaced every five or ten years, but while the porcelain may chip or need repair, a crown or bridge substructure created with CRYSTAL Zirconia should last a lifetime, and includes a lifetime warranty when milled by a certified dental laboratory.
Healthy appearance of the supporting tissue and its architecture are key components for achieving an esthetic dental restoration. It is therefore essential that the gingival (gum) tissue surrounding a restoration would be similar to that of the healthy adjacent teeth to create the illusion of natural dentition. Since the majority of patients tend to display a portion of their gingivae in a normal smile, lack of adequate gingival architecture and proper contour in the horizontal and vertical dimensions may result in compromised esthetics and will, therefore, require further intervention. The use of gingiva- coloured ceramics has been suggested to address the esthetic needs in such patients.
Dental aesthetics is based not only on the “white component”of the restoration but also on the “pink component.”Gingival replacement prostheses have historically been used to replace lost gum tissue when other methods (e.g., surgery or regenerative procedures) were considered unpredictable or impossible. With this method, large tissue volumes are easily replaced. Tissue replacement prostheses may be used to replace tissue lost through surgical gingival procedures, trauma, ridge resorption or traumatic tooth extraction. Restoration of these areas can be accomplished with either fixed or removable prostheses. Materials used for gingival prostheses include pink auto-cure and heat-cure acrylics, porcelains, composite resins and thermoplastic acrylics, as well as silicone-based soft materials.
‘Party gums’ is a prosthetic device to correct definite aesthetic problems of major concern to the patient in the anterior segment of the dentition. It is a thin flexible silicone strip simulating natural gum tissue which extends to the areas between the teeth so as to cover the black spaces between them and restore the smile. It reestablishes gingival contour to correct gingival recession from vigorous tooth brushing and/or major periodontal surgery.
They say a smile is a curve that sets everything straight. Of all the components of a smile, the teeth play a very important role in creating a perfect effect. It is not just necessary to have good perfect teeth, it is necessary for the teeth to be in harmony with the face, the lip line, the curvature of the mouth, etc. Dentistry today has made extensive advances in material sciences to be able to alter, reorganize and reposition teeth. Tooth structure can be added, reduced, moved or altered in terms of colour and texture without any deleterious effects and make it look, feel and behave in the same fashion as natural teeth. So invest in your smile, you wear it every day.
Today a whole range of procedures are available to help you get that perfect smile. This multi disciplinary approach comprises of a combination of procedures like porcelain laminates/veneers, all ceramic crowns, bleaching, cosmetic gum recontouring, cosmetic tooth recontouring, crown lengthening and a number of other procedures.
