Being able to smile is one of the most special details that makes life beautiful. The key to a beautiful smile that will make you feel good is healthy and beautiful teeth. Today, thanks to advances in dental technology, it is easier to have healthy aesthetic teeth. So much so that the increasing aesthetic expectations of people also direct the materials and technologies used in dental treatments. Assist. Prof. Dr. Burcu Günal Abduljalil from Near East University Dental Hospital says that the full ceramic crown and bridge restorations they use in dental treatments open the doors of success to having healthy, natural and aesthetic-looking teeth.
Ceramic restorations with metal substructure support cannot meet aesthetic expectations
Reminding that ceramic restorations with metal infrastructure support have been used in dental restorations for a long time and these applications are still continuing successfully, Assist. Prof. Dr. Burcu Günal Abduljalil said, “However, today, due to metal infrastructures, this application falls short of meeting expectations in usages where aesthetics come to the fore. With the increasing interest in aesthetic dentistry, the development of alternatives to metal-supported ceramic restorations continues rapidly.
Full ceramic is preferred for dental aesthetics
In order to meet aesthetic expectations, all-ceramic applications in dental treatments are becoming more common day by day. Among the reasons for the preference of full ceramic is its excellent biocompatibility with oral tissues, aesthetic properties, structural durability, and low thermal conductivity. Assist. Prof. Dr. Burcu Günal Abduljalil says that all-ceramic restorations are divided into glass ceramics and oxide ceramics according to their content. Glass ceramics are preferred in single-tooth restorations, especially in the anterior part of the mouth, where aesthetics is important. In oxide ceramics, the mechanical properties of the material have been improved, but the light transmittance is lower compared to glass ceramics.
Stating that patients generally feel fear and anxiety about the treatment process, Assist. Prof. Dr. Günal Abduljalil explains that all-ceramic restorations are nothing to be afraid of: “First of all, the patient’s gingival health should be ensured in the treatment process of all-ceramic restorations. After operations such as filling, caries or calculus are performed, the treatment is started by choosing the color of the all-ceramic restorations. Then, the tooth shaping process is done and the mouth measurement is taken, and the laboratory stage is started. The selected all-ceramic material is precisely produced in the laboratory. First, we check the compatibility of the tooth by rehearsing the infrastructure in the patient’s mouth. If everything is ok, the restoration is sent to the laboratory for completion and the final stage is started on the same day. The final stage is the bonding of the restoration onto the tooth surface. At the same time, tooth cutting and impressions are taken to make a temporary restoration to the patient during the procedures. A temporary restoration is applied to the patient on the same day. Therefore, there is no such thing as being toothless.”
What should be considered after the application of all-ceramic restorations?
Stating that in patients with habits such as clenching and grinding, a protective night plate should be used after the treatment, Assist. Prof. Dr. Abduljalil also said “Caring for restorations is no different than taking care of the patient’s own natural teeth”. Stating that all-ceramic teeth can be used easily for many years thanks to a good oral care applied regularly (brushing the teeth with the right technique twice a day, using dental floss or an interface brush to clean the interfaces of the teeth, and using mouthwash), Assist. Prof. Dr. Günal Abduljalil said, “In patients undergoing bridge restoration, special dental floss should be used to ensure the cleaning of the edentulous area. The patient should visit the dentist regularly (every six months), as should normally be done.”