Repairing Teeth

At Windermere Dental Practice, we offer a range of methods to repair teeth, dependent on your individual circumstance and requirements.

Composite Fillings (White Fillings)

Composite (tooth coloured) fillings can be used to repair chips in teeth, fill teeth after decay has been removed and to improve the appearance of teeth. They are bonded to the tooth structure which means that the minimum amount of tooth can be removed. They can also be used to build up a tooth when there is very little tooth structure left.

Inlays/Onlays

These are usually made from porcelain or composite and are used to repair a tooth when a large area is missing. Two visits are needed. At the first visit, the tooth is prepared by the dentist in the practice and some impressions are taken which are then sent to our dental laboratory where a skilled dental technician will make the inlay/onlay. At the second appointment it is bonded to your tooth. The part of your tooth that is missing is replaced by tooth coloured porcelain or composite. This is a strong and aesthetically good option.

Veneers

Veneers make teeth look natural and healthy. Because they are very thin and are held in place by a special strong bond very little preparation of the tooth is needed. Veneers can:

improve the colour of your teeth.
improve the shape and position of your teeth.
cover or mask chips and imperfections and gaps in your teeth.
improve the overall appearance of your smile.

Some of the shiny outer enamel surface of the tooth may be removed to make sure that the veneer can be bonded permanently in place later. The dentist will take an ‘impression’ (mould). This will be given to the dental technician, along with any other information needed to make the veneer. The colour of the surrounding teeth is matched on a shade guide to make sure that the veneer will look entirely natural.

Alternatives to veneers can include composite bonding or crowns.

Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment can save a tooth which might otherwise need to be extracted. When the pulp inside a tooth has become irreversibly inflamed, this eventually causes the nerve inside of the tooth to die and become infected. To try to save the tooth, root canal treatment must be done. This involves the dentist removing the remaining nerve and infection, disinfecting, shaping and filling the root canals. This is a skilled and time consuming procedure which sometimes requires referral to a dentist with a special interest in root canal treatment.

Crowns

Crowns are an ideal way to rebuild teeth that have been weakened by having a very large filling or root filling or can be used if we would like to improve the appearance of a tooth. A crown protects the remaining tooth. This is essentially a cap, which is usually tooth coloured, placed over the remaining prepared natural tooth giving protection, strength and improved appearance. Usually, 2 visits are required. At the 1st appointment we will prepare your natural tooth, make you a temporary crown and take some impressions to send to our dental laboratory where a skilled dental technician will make your crown. It is then sent back for the 2nd appointment where we will fit (cement) the crown. Crowns are available in tooth coloured porcelain or ceramic materials (Zirconia or E-max) or in precious or non-precious metals, such as gold (usually in areas which are not visible).