Principles
A tooth takes 10 to 12 years to become fully developed (initiation, maturity and formation of the full radix). Dental tissue is the hardest material in the human body. It is therefore clear that we have to treat and restore the dental tissue with respect and with the minimum amount of invasiveness and to do this we adopt the biomimetic approach: minimum invasiveness and maximum effectiveness by taking nature as the starting point. This is only possible after studying the scientific literature and by utilising the correct restoration materials and treatment techniques. The people that inspire us in this field include Pascal Magne, Michel Magne, Didier Dietschi, Lorenzo Vanini and Mauro Fradeani.
Chain-of-death of a thooth
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By removing too much dental tissue there is a major increased risk of losing a tooth. Once the pulp becomes a-vital the prognosis for a tooth decreases considerably. The use of root posts increases the risk of root. |
Biomimetic restorative dentistry
The principle of biomimetic restorative dentistry is that structures that occur in nature are used in the technique for repairing teeth.
By understanding why a certain tooth or molar has a specific shape at a specific location in the mouth, by understanding the interplay of forces that occurs in the mouth and within a tooth, and by studying how dentine and enamel absorb the forces acting on our teeth – in brief, by focussing on how nature absorbs these forces – we are able to conclude that in the past too much dental tissue was removed in order to restore teeth and molars.
By using bonding techniques that have proven themselves over a period of 20 years we are able to save tissue. It is not necessary to remove healthy enamel for the sake of achieving a grip for a crown – it is not necessary to remove the supporting dental tissue. We restrict ourselves to repairing the fault and preventing further tissue loss.
Although porcelain has the best aesthetic properties by far, using this hard material is not always preferred. Using materials that are too hard for the chewing surface often fail to comply with the biomimetic principle.
In this context, the question we have to ask ourselves is whether we have to choose the weakest link in the restoration or specifically for the tooth. In other words: we prefer to use a slightly softer material in the form of composite rather than porcelain for restoring the chewing surfaces. This allows wear facets to be created which prevent the tooth from breaking, the pulp from becoming inflamed, the temporomandibular joints or the digastric muscles from becoming overworked and the development of unexplained headache. When treating people who grind their teeth our preference is certainly for restoring wear, which is simple to repair, rather than a broken tooth.
By providing our clients with proper information they understand that it is better to replace a restoration rather than replace a tooth and that is the absolute basis of biomimetic dentistry. An implant is and remains an excellent replacement for a tooth that has been lost, however, your own teeth are and remain the best and most beautiful “implants” there are. With biomimetic dentistry we are able to reduce grinding to an absolute minimum and extend the life of your own teeth.