Filling

Composite

Porcelain

Properties

  • Esthetic-the colour and translucency can match the natural teeth.
  • The material is not easily stained.
  • Hard and high in wear resistance.

Disadvantage

  • Brittle and may fracture under heavy biting force.
  • Certain amount of tooth substance has to be removed in order to achieve sufficient thickness for the strength of porcelain veneer.

Application

  • Tooth veneer or crown.

  • To restore teeth with high esthetic requirement, especially the front teeth.

    Photograph showing the upper teeth restored with porcelain laminate veneers.

Procedures for porcelain laminate veneer

  • Remove a small amount of enamel from the facial surface of the tooth.
  • Take impressions of the upper and lower teeth and record the bite.
  • Fabricate the veneer in the dental laboratory.
  • Clean the tooth surface before bonding the veneer.
  • Etch the tooth surface and treat with diluted acid such as 30% phosphoric acid.

  • Cement the veneer onto the tooth.

    Photograph showing a veneer that matches the upper front teeth.

Procedures for porcelain crown

  • Remove a layer of tooth substance.
  • Take impressions of the upper and lower dental arches and record the bite. Construct a temporary crown to protect the prepared tooth.
  • Fabricate the porcelain crown in the dental laboratory.
  • Remove the temporary crown and clean the tooth surface.

  • Cement the crown onto the tooth.

    Animation showing the procedure of making a porcelain crown.