At Dr. William Cheung & Associates, we value education and believe that informed patients make the best decisions regarding their oral health and smiles.
Each type of dental restoration serves a purpose, and we will explain any recommendation our dentists make so that you understand it fully. When it comes to repairing teeth, here are some general guidelines.
Dental fillings – Dental fillings seal and protect a tooth after removing tooth decay. We often use a composite material that comes in a variety of shades and blends in nicely with surrounding teeth.
Dental crowns – Dental crowns encase the entire tooth structure to prevent pain and further damage. Dental crowns can protect a root canal tooth or a deeply decayed tooth, or make cosmetic improvements to the teeth.
Inlays and onlays – Inlays and onlays are indirect fillings that lie within the cusps of the teeth (inlay) or encase one or more cusps (onlays). You can think of them as a “partial crown” or a crown-filling hybrid that is made from durable metal or porcelain.
Dental bonding – Dental bonding is a conservative choice for making small repairs to the teeth such as filling small chips or reshaping the tooth.