What is Biomimetic Dentistry, and How Does it Benefit You?

You may have heard the term "biomimetic" before, but what you may not know is how it relates to dentistry- or why we are so passionate about using a biomimetic dentistry approach with our patients. The word biomimetic literally means ‘imitating (mimesis) life (bios).’  In dentistry, biomimetic dentistry means we take a minimally invasive approach to dental care- an approach which strives to keep as much of the natural tooth intact as possible. We do this by using specialized techniques, tools, and advanced materials to repair damaged teeth- instead of just cutting away the damaged area and hoping whatever we stick to the tooth stays in place and looks realistic. The ultimate goal of our practice, and of biomimetic dentistry as a whole, is to "help our patients keep their teeth for a lifetime... In a condition that’s beautiful and that’s functional."

What makes biomimetic dentistry different is kind of like that old metaphor about optimism versus pessimism, where you are asked whether you see the glass half full or half empty. Traditional methods of dentistry historically have taken a more pessimistic approach, giving little thought to the remaining structure of the tooth, and instead focusing on the repaired section.  When you pay more attention to the restoration, it’s a lot like seeing the glass as half empty, because you are not focused on the healthy portion of the tooth. With biomimetic dentistry, we aim to repair the damage to the tooth, not to simply replace the damaged areas, as this essentially creates more damage to the tooth in the process. This is like seeing the glass half-full because we understand the importance of preserving the natural tooth.

In addition to your teeth looking better with biomimetic dentistry, biomimetic dentistry offers two things that many traditional procedures cannot: comfort and predictability. Because biomimetic procedures are minimally invasive, they are naturally less painful than traditional dentistry procedures.  Not only that, but most patients experience less tooth sensitivity after the procedure, as well. As for predictability, with biomimetic dentistry, there are no surprises. You already know what your tooth looks like, so restoring that tooth creates no change in the look or feel of your natural tooth. Best of all, because the tooth is repaired, you can feel confident that the health of your teeth is protected- and that you will keep your natural teeth for the rest of your life.

So, given what we know about biomimetic dentistry, why don’t more practices apply biomimetic dentistry principles to their practice?  The biomimetic approach is not as easy as traditional dentistry. Biomimetic dentistry requires a lot of skill, patience, and training. It requires the dentist and their staff to look at dentistry under a completely different lens than they were probably initially trained to do. Hopefully, in the future, this will change, and biomimetic dentistry will someday become the standard of care in all practices. But until then, finding a practice which follows the principles of biomimetic care and maintains their focus on the health of the existing tooth instead of the damaged portions of the tooth can be an integral part of enjoying the strength and beauty of your natural teeth for the rest of your life.

If you’d like to learn more about how Dr. Lederman and the biomimetic approach to dentistry can benefit the holistic health of your teeth, give us a call at 516-882-1764 for an appointment.