November 2008
after a tooth has been damaged or destroyed, restoration of the missing structure can be achieved with a variety of treatments.
restorations may be created from a variety of materials, including glass ionomer, amalgam, gold, porcelain, and composite.
these restorations may be formed directly in the mouth or may be cast using the lost-wax technique, such as for some inlays and onlays.
when larger portions of a tooth are lost, an "extracoronal restoration" may be fabricated, such as a crown or a veneer, to restore the involved tooth.