A: A sealant is a white acrylic that is painted and bonded to a tooth. It is used to seal deep fissures, grooves and pits in the chewing surfaces of molar teeth where decay usually forms first. We normally recommend them as early as 6-7 yrs old when the first permanent adult molars come in, to help stop decay during the cavity-prone years. By sealing the deep grooves and pits, the tooth is easier for the child to keep clean, and he or she will be less likely to get cavities on teeth that have had a sealant placed.

Restorative Options:

Resins and Composites

Resins, also known as composites, are tooth colored restorative materials used to fill the tooth after the decay is removed. In the past silver amalgams were used. Today white tooth colored fillings are more desirable.

Onlays

An onlay is a type of restoration that replaces large amounts of broken or missing tooth structure. They typically are made in gold or ceramic. A ceramic, also known as porcelain onlay is tooth colored, and can be milled out of a ceramic block on site using new computerized technology, like the CEREC 3D system.

Crowns

A crown is a restoration made out of either porcelain and metal, all porcelain, or sometimes all gold. A crown is recommended when a lot of tooth anatomy is being replaced, compared to an onlay.

Q: What are the main differences between fillings, onlays, and crowns?

A: The main differences are in type of material used and amount of tooth structure being replaced as a result of decay, or broken teeth. Resin fillings are used when the amount of tooth structure missing is small. Onlays and crowns are used to replace large amounts of missing tooth anatomy.

The filling material we use at East Orlando Dental is a tooth colored resin. The onlays are made with our CEREC 3D technology are tooth colored ceramic (porcelain). Crowns, which we send out to a dental laboratory for fabrication, are made in porcelain and metal, all porcelain, or sometimes gold.

Veneers

Veneers are a type of tooth colored ceramic restoration used to restore a smile cosmetically. Common uses are to close small spaces between front teeth, mask darkened or discolored teeth that could not be whitened enough, even after tooth whitening (i.e. bleaching), and to change the shape and or size of teeth that are otherwise healthy.