What Is Biomimetic Dentistry? Everything You Need To Know
At Flossologie, Dr. Dannica Brennan specializes in biomimetic dentistry and is proud to offer natural dental restorations to patients in Tampa. But you may be wondering what this means.
What is biomimetic dentistry? How is it different from other approaches to dentistry, and what are its benefits? In this blog from Flossologie, we’ll answer all of your questions about biomimetic dentistry, and go over everything you need to know about her approach to this conservative dental care.
What Is Biomimetic Dentistry?
The term “biomimetic dentistry” refers to using dental methods and materials that imitate the physical properties of natural tooth structure. The main goal is to preserve as much tooth structure as possible. With Biomimetic Dentistry, Dr. Brennan aims to not only restore your smile, but also to keep your healthy tooth structure intact, minimize future complications, lessen or eliminate sensitivity, and use restorations that mimic the natural tooth structure it is replacing.
With biomimetic dentistry, you can get conservative dental restorations that match your teeth perfectly and involve minimally-invasive treatments. Whether you’re seeking restorative care for damaged teeth or you want to improve your smile with cosmetic care, biomimetic dentistry from Dr. Brennan at Flossologie is an excellent choice.
The Difference Between Biomimetic Dentistry And General Dentistry
Most general dentists are not biomimetic dentists. This means that they don’t focus on preserving your natural enamel, and may recommend more invasive treatment options to treat your dental health issues, even if that treatment is not completely necessary.
For example, a general dentist may recommend a dental crown to repair a decayed, broken, or cracked tooth. Dental crowns are used when a dentist needs to rely on mechanical retention to hold the restoration onto the tooth. They require all your protective enamel to be removed, resulting in more sensitivity, more root canals, and more overall failures of the tooth down the line. Because most crowns are not well bonded and the time is not usually taken to remove the cracks in the remaining tooth structure, cracks tend to continue to get bigger underneath them, resulting in continued pain even after a crown is placed.
Dr. Brennan, on the other hand, is trained in advanced adhesive dentistry so she does not need to rely on mechanical retention. What does this mean for you? Full coverage crowns are only a treatment option if she needs to replace one you already have that is bothering you. Her treatment options include biomimetic composite fillings and partial coverage ceramic restorations including onlays and overlays…even after root canals are completed! These treatments only require the removal of damaged and decayed tooth structure and keep the rest of your tooth intact. She takes the time to guarantee the tooth structure underneath is perfectly healthy before placing any restorative material on it.
Biomimetic dentistry is also used in cosmetic dentistry. For example, porcelain veneers are often recommended by general dentists, and this treatment requires the permanent removal of some of your enamel. At Flossologie, we often recommend non-invasive direct composite veneers instead. This is an alternative to traditional veneers that provides spectacular results and does not require the removal of the enamel.
Do Biomimetic Dentistry Procedures Take Longer?
In order for Dr. Brennan to get the best results, she takes her time to prepare the tooth structure underneath. The foundation of anything is the most overlooked, yet the most important step in dentistry. Your traditional filling may take a few more minutes depending on how much decay and how many cracks there are, but it will be well worth it knowing there will be no sensitivity and less re-do’s down the line. When it comes to onlays and overlays (biomimetic crown alternatives), Dr. Brennan does everything same day with her CEREC scanner/milling unit. This means that even though the preparation of the tooth may take a little bit longer to guarantee a perfectly healthy foundation, you get everything completed in one visit.
Biomimetic dentistry helps protect the natural structure of your teeth, provides truly lifelike results, and will minimize the risk of future dental complications. For all of these reasons and more, Dr. Brennan is proud to specialize in biomimetic dentistry at Flossologie.
Learn More About Biomimetic Dentistry At Flossologie – See The Difference Today!
If you’re looking for a new dentist in Tampa, Flossologie is here for you. Dr. Brennan is accepting new patients, and if you have more questions about biomimetic dentistry and our approach to conservative dental care, we’d be happy to answer them. Schedule a consultation online or give us a call / send us a text at (813) 590-5910 to book an appointment today.