Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

You may be familiar with porcelain teacups or plates – they are very thin, exquisite ceramic objects. Dental porcelain is similar. By itself it is brittle, as are porcelain cups, but after it is bonded properly to your teeth, it is strong and durable. Dental porcelain can be used with a metal lining or with a porcelain lining. Dr. Tekin uses only layered feldspathic porcelain, which has a porcelain lining. That means that no dark line will appear at the gumline later on, as it will if you have porcelain restorations with metal linings.

Tooth enamel and dental porcelain share two important characteristics:

• Whiteness
  Teeth look white at first glance, but a second glance will show you that there are several shades of white in each tooth. Each person has an inborn limit on how white their teeth can become after a tooth whitening procedure. And we all eat and drink substances which gradually stain and yellow our teeth. But regardless of where you fall in those two continuums, your teeth have subtle variations in their whiteness.
  

Dental porcelain has the same feature, and the best porcelain in particular has this asset. This means that Dr. Tekin can choose a porcelain which most closely matches your individual tooth color, both in overall shade of white, and in the variations of white.

• Semi-translucency
  Both enamel and porcelain reflect some light off their surfaces and absorb some light. The absorbed light travels through to the layer beneath, and is reflected back to the viewer from there. In the case of tooth enamel, that is the dentin layer, a yellowish part of the tooth structure. In the case of porcelain veneers or crowns, it is the dental bonding substance used to attach them to the tooth. In both cases, the end result is a pearly sheen. A porcelain restoration cannot be distinguished from natural teeth except by your dentist.
  

An extra benefit of porcelain
Whereas tooth enamel gradually stains and yellows, porcelain is stain-resistant. It will not darken from coffee-drinking, love of blackberries or blueberries, and all the edible delights which leave their mark on our smile. Not even tobacco use or aging will dull the appealing whiteness of dental porcelain.

On the flip side, it does not respond to tooth whitening. So if you would like to whiten your teeth as well as have porcelain veneers or crowns, do the whitening first. Then Dr. Tekin can match the porcelain to your new bright white.

You are welcome to call or email us for more information, or to schedule a personal consultation. We hope to hear from you soon.