Scientific research and product developments continuously change the face of dentistry. Through the sciences of adhesive and neuromuscular dentistry and the art made possible by today's aesthetic materials, we can conservatively restore unhealthy or damaged teeth, eliminate pain and improve your overall smile simultaneously.

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Reconstructive Dentistry Patient Photos of Dr John Schmid

Adhesive dentistry is accomplished with resin bonding, and allows us to conservatively restore teeth with aesthetic materials. The resin bond will not only strengthen each tooth and improve its appearance, but also increase its resistance to recurrent decay. Unsightly metal fillings of the past are not longer necessary. Aesthetic materials blend seamlessly with your existing teeth to create a natural, healthy-looking smile. Direct and indirect composites are excellent functional aesthetic restorations.

Porcelain restorations and veneers are utilized for optimal cosmetic effects and durability. The advancements in reconstructive and adhesive technology allow us to achieve bond strengths of porcelain to tooth that rival the natural strength of teeth. Porcelain veneers can mask teeth that are discolored and poorly shaped, eliminate black metal lines around current restorations, replace congenially missing or traumatized teeth, close spaces between teeth, replace deteriorating metal-based restorations, repair teeth that are worn, and even straighten misaligned teeth.

Typically, in three to five visits a patient can go from pain and frustration to a healthy and perfect smile!

About IPS Empress® Quick Facts

• Our AE (Advanced Esthetic) Teams of LVI trained cosmetic specialists have perfected unique layering techniques that make IPS Empress restorations come alive.
• Indicated for inlays, onlays, veneers, anterior single crowns (where superior esthetics are a key consideration) and posterior single crowns (only in non-stressed teeth).
• Lucite glass ceramic used clinically for over ten years.
• All-ceramic system utilizes pre-shaded ceramic ingots and a unique pressing technique.
• Optimally co-ordinate degrees of translucency and slight shading.
• Individually characterized ceramic core (in all Vita and Chromascop™ shades).
• Improved and simplified shade selection with Chromoscop™ and Dentin-stump guides (27 shades)
• Pressure injected. High flexural strength values without metal. Tensile strength of 200 MPa.
• Excellend marginal fit at approximately 70 microns reduces marginal leakage and breakage. Margins can be finished (or end) above the gingival margin or at the margin.
• Wear nearly identical to enamel so not abrasive to opposing dentition.

With the introduction of IPS Iris™, Ivoclar North America has dramatically increased the range of all ceramic restorations into the realm of three-unit anterior bridges. In combination with the IPS Empress® (or "Empress 1" as some clinicians are calling it), dental practitioners can now create inlays, onlays, veneers, single anterior or posterior crowns and anterior bridges using the same comprehensive system and laboratory. All with the esthetics, accuracy and fit you've come to expect from IPS Empress® and Aurum Ceramic Dental Laboratories.

Unparalleled Beauty and Natural Vitality

The original IPS Empress® leucity glass-ceramic has been used clinically for over ten years. Optimally coordinated degrees of translucency and the slight shading give the leucity glass-ceramic material a chameleon effect. This ensures the restorations fit into the natural oral environment and are virtually in discernable. Shade control is enhanced by patient-specific detail and characterization supplying you with virtually unlimited control over color, custom staining, form, surface detail and texture. Original IPS Empress® continues to be indicated and recommended for aesthetic inlays, onlays, veneers, and single-unit anterior crowns. IPS Empress® is particularly well suited for conservative veneering as it allows the pressing of restorations less than 0.8 mm thick. This allows preparations that conserve natural tooth structure.

Enduring Strength Without Metal

Its lucite reinforced, pre-ceramed structure and pressure-injected fabrication offer you twice the strength of conventional ceramic materials. Resin bonding has also been demonstrated to significantly increase the overall strength of a restoration. The IPS Empress® system incorporates a full bonding system to ensure proper strength, less breakage, and fewer repairs.