When a tooth cracks or decays, typically there are two options. If greater than 2/3 of the tooth remains, a filling may suffice. If there is less, than typically the tooth will need more support than a filling can offer.
Crowns
Conventionally, the remedy for this is a crown. First all decay, cracks and weakened tooth structure are removed. Next, filling material is added to the deeper layers and defects to provide a uniform and solid foundation. This is called a build-up or core. Finally the tooth is ground down on all sides, removing the remainder of the healthy enamel in the process.
A crown is strong, and many times can last decades in the right environment. But it is also aggressive. Based on different studies, anywhere from 10 – 20% of crown treated teeth will eventually require root canal treatment. If the crown chips, fractures or decays, more often than not a full new crown will be needed at 5 times the cost of the typical filling.
Biomimetics
Enter the Biomimetic alternative. The technique is called Biomimetics (“life-mimicking”) because knowledge of each individual layer of tooth is used to recreate a tooth that functions and feels like your own natural tooth from the inside out. Using upgraded filling techniques and fiber reinforcement technology, strength can be achieved that far exceeds the typical filling without the aggressive tooth removal required by a crown.
As with a crown, cracks, decay and weakened tooth structure are removed. But that’s where the tooth removal stops. From there we rebuild from the inside out, preserving healthy enamel and preventing root canals.
Best of all, if the materials should wear or chip in the future, a Biomimetic restoration is repairable. All this with an initial cost half that of a crown!
Its no wonder that 80% of the time, our patients choose Biomimetics over crowns.