Restorative Dentistry

Restorative dentistry involves the replacement of missing parts of a tooth. This constitutes white tooth restorations, gold inlays-onlays, gold crowns, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, or even porcelain inlays.

How can you chose what restoration is best for your special tooth need? Dr. LuBovich provides our patients a comprehensive new patient examination that includes a written diagnosis of all of your dental disease, and a treatment plan letter that provides you with a detailed treatment recommendation.

One material may be stronger for your particular need. For example, if you grind your teeth and need a crown on a lower second molar, you may want to consider having a gold crown placed. Gold crowns resist the forces of tooth grinding better than porcelain crowns, for example.

Porcelain inlays are beautiful restorations; however, their use should be in teeth that are very sound without cracks, and in patients whom do not grit, grind or clench their teeth. Many times, an only (covering the cusps-points) of a cracked teeth will prevent fracture of a cusp, in later years. The same is true for gold inlays; many times, they should cover the cusps (points) of the teeth so later breaking of the tooth can be prevented.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Several patients like gold on their front teeth. Other patients want a diamond placed on a front tooth.

These requests are not the usual; however, they are special for that patient's special need. We have placed diamonds on gold veneers for a front tooth. We have placed gold crowns on front teeth with various shapes; for example, we have placed crosses, initials, and even playboy bunny rabbits, on gold and then placed on a front tooth.

If you have a single upper or lower front tooth that needs a crown or veneer, special color layering is important to be performed in order to match a single tooth color in the front of your mouth. We special blend porcelains to match colors to any natural tooth color. This takes more time, and a willingness to mix porcelains to accomplish this task; however, we accept the challenge of any tooth that may be difficult to match and accomplish that challenge.

If you have metal allergies, or are concerned about a dental material being compatible with your body, we can help you acquire testing to determine which material is best to use in your restoration.

The restoration of a tooth should be an artful expression welding appropriate form (anatomy) to color. Our goal is to create very anatomic artful creations that will appear real, and function like a very natural healthy tooth.