Biomimetic Dentistry
Dentistry that Works with Your Body
One unique aspect of teeth is that, unlike other parts of the body, they cannot heal themselves. That is one reason why professional dental care is necessary; we can use high-quality materials to restore the teeth and delay or even avoid the need for extractions. However, teeth that get restorations often end up needing additional work in the future. At Pacific View Dental Group in Huntington Beach, we are interested in a superior solution: Biomimetic Dentistry.
What Is Biomimetic Dentistry?
Much of dentistry is concerned with rebuilding and mimicking parts of a damaged or decayed tooth in order to restore its appearance and structure. Traditionally, many of these treatments require a tooth to be prepared, shaped, and modified so that a dental restoration (like a dental crown) can be fitted to it. While these methods have been very helpful in the past, time and research have shown that they can sometimes make a tooth weaker in the long run.
The issue stems from the fact that these restorations put an inorganic material (as in metal or ceramic) into an organic environment (your mouth). The structures in your mouth are much more malleable and apt to change over time than traditional dental materials, and this often can cause tension that leads to a tooth eventually cracking or breaking. This, in turn, means that a patient has to get more restorative work that will need to be repaired repeatedly in the future, and so on until the tooth is too damaged and needs to be extracted.
We do not want our patients to go through this cycle of perpetual dental work, which is why we use methods that are meant to provide better, more sustained results. This focus on long-term care is why Pacific View Dental Group uses something called biomimetic dentistry. It basically refers to dentistry that seeks to completely mimic the properties of nature, as in the structure and composition of your teeth.
How Does Biomimetic Dentistry Work?
Biomimetics is a field of study that aims to understand and emulate systems and processes that are found in nature.
In dentistry, the application of biomimetics can vary from case to case. For example, it often involves:
- Minimal tooth alterations. Conventional dentistry often takes a “drill and fill” approach to spots of decay and damage. Biomimetic dentistry seeks to minimize the amount of tissue that is removed from each tooth.
- High-quality materials. Biomimetic dentistry can use various restorations to repair teeth. These are often made of high-quality composite resins, which are bonded to the teeth using advanced techniques. In some cases, high-quality porcelain is also used.
- Restoration of structural integrity. Biomimetics may involve rebuilding teeth layer by layer, which can help with long-term restoration of a tooth’s structural integrity.
Benefits of Biomimetic Dentistry
Biomimetic dentistry offers some pretty outstanding benefits:
- Preserves natural tooth structure. Biomimetic dentistry focuses on removing as little healthy tissue as possible, which maintains the integrity and strength of the tooth.
- Reduces need for future dental work. By mimicking natural tooth properties, restorations are less likely to fail or cause further damage, decreasing the likelihood of repeated procedures.
- Enhances durability and longevity of restorations. High-quality materials and advanced bonding techniques help repairs last longer and resist wear.
- Promotes healthier outcomes. Layer-by-layer rebuilding supports a tooth’s natural function and structure, leading to better oral health.
- Offers more comfortable and conservative treatments. You can experience less invasive procedures, resulting in less discomfort, reduced sensitivity, and faster recovery times.
Biomimetic Dentistry FAQs
How is biomimetic dentistry different from traditional restorative dentistry?
With traditional dental restorations, the process of treating cavities usually involves some amount of drilling before a filling is placed. Biomimetic dentistry, in contrast, is a much less invasive process. The materials used (typically composite resin) can closely match the actual structure of the teeth, and they can bond directly with the enamel itself. In other words, there’s no need to weaken the tooth in order to place the restoration; in fact, when done this way, the filling will actually strengthen the tooth. This approach lets us come as close as possible to restoring the tooth’s original natural strength, function, and aesthetics.
Can biomimetic dentistry prevent the need for a root canal?
You may not realize it, but traditional dental techniques for restoring teeth might actually increase your risk of needing root canal therapy someday. As healthy tooth structure is removed, its ability to protect the pulp from infection and inflammation is weakened. If something does end up happening to the pulp, root canal treatment may be the only way to prevent further damage. However, biomimetic dentistry allows us to preserve as much health tooth structure as possible, which means there’s less of a chance of needing a root canal in the future. For this reason, you can consider biomimetic dentistry to be a long-term solution for dental health.
Will biomimetic dentistry take longer?
As a matter of fact, the biomimetic approach can actually save you time. Traditional restorations usually require more than one appointment; the first visit involves making necessary preparations to the teeth, and you typically receive the restoration itself during the second visit. A biomimetic procedure, on the other hand, can typically be done in just one visit. The appointment itself may be somewhat more time intensive, but that will balance out in the long run by eliminating the need for an additional visit. Furthermore, since the restorations are less likely to crack or break, you won’t need to get them replaced nearly as often.
Is biomimetic dentistry costly?
Many patients find that biomimetic dentistry ends up saving them money. This is largely due to the fact that they are relatively easy to repair, and when they fail the tooth isn’t affected. In other words, a failed restoration won’t lead to further dental damage, and the existing issue can easily be fixed. As such, a failed biomimetic restoration will not be as costly as one of its traditional counterparts.