Advancements in Dental Care
Restorative Dentistry That Rebuilds What Time and Damage Have Taken
At Advancements in Dental Care, Dr. Aust restores teeth to full function and natural beauty — using precision materials and techniques designed to last decades. If a broken, cracked, or failing tooth is changing how you live, we have a solution.
From the Desk of Dr. Aust
A damaged tooth doesn't stay damaged in isolation. I've seen it happen hundreds of times: one broken molar leads to changes in bite, which leads to jaw strain, which leads to neighboring teeth shifting, which leads to something far more expensive than a crown. The mouth is a system. When one part fails, others compensate — and not always gracefully.
That's why I take restorative dentistry seriously. Not as a checkbox service, but as precision reconstruction. When I place a crown or build a bridge, I'm thinking about how that restoration will function under the real forces of chewing, clenching, and daily use for the next 20, 30, even 40 years. Materials matter. Fit matters. Bite alignment matters. Getting it right the first time matters.
After treating over 10,000 patients, I've learned this: the patients who invest in quality restorations, done correctly from the start, spend far less on dental care over their lifetime than those who defer, compromise on materials, or accept work that's "good enough." A precision restoration isn't just about how it looks in the mirror — it's about what it will still look like and how it will still function a decade from now. That's what Advancements in Dental Care delivers.
Which Restoration Is Right For You
Crowns, Bridges, Inlays & Onlays
Dental Crowns
A crown covers the entire visible portion of a tooth above the gumline, restoring its shape, strength, and appearance. Crowns are indicated when a tooth is cracked, severely decayed, has undergone a root canal, or is structurally compromised by large old fillings. At Advancements in Dental Care, we use Zirconia crowns — the gold standard in strength and aesthetics. Unlike older porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, Zirconia resists chipping, withstands heavy bite forces, and eliminates the dark line at the gumline that can develop over time with metal-based restorations.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring to the teeth on either side of the gap. Traditional bridges require those anchor teeth to be reduced and crowned — which is why implant-supported bridges are often the better long-term solution when adjacent teeth are healthy. We'll assess both options honestly and give you a clear recommendation. A well-fitted bridge restores chewing function, prevents neighboring teeth from drifting, and maintains proper bite height.
Inlays
An inlay is a precision restoration used when a cavity or damage is too large for a conventional filling but doesn't require a full crown. The inlay fits within the cusps (the raised points) of a molar or premolar — custom-fabricated in the laboratory from porcelain or ceramic to match your tooth exactly. Inlays are more durable and longer-lasting than direct fillings, and they preserve significantly more healthy tooth structure than a crown would require. For moderate damage, an inlay is often the ideal conservative solution.
Onlays
An onlay is similar to an inlay but extends over one or more of the tooth's cusps — sometimes called a 'partial crown.' It's indicated when damage or decay extends beyond what an inlay can address, but the tooth still has enough healthy structure to avoid a full crown. Like inlays, onlays are laboratory-fabricated for precision fit and bonded to the tooth for exceptional strength. Onlays are an excellent conservative option that preserves as much of your natural tooth as possible while providing full structural restoration.
The Material Standard
Why We Use Zirconia
Zirconia is a glass-free ceramic that represents the current gold standard in restorative material. Unlike traditional porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns — which can chip, develop dark lines at the gumline, and are opaque in ways that natural teeth are not — Zirconia is extraordinarily strong, translucent, and lifelike.
We use the same Zirconia material for crowns that we use for implant restorations. It handles the real forces of chewing and grinding for decades. It’s the material we trust, which is why it’s the material we use on every patient.
Why Precision Restorations
Eight Reasons Quality Restorations Pay for Themselves
Restores Full Chewing Function
A compromised tooth — cracked, worn down, or structurally weakened — changes how you eat. You start avoiding certain foods, favoring one side, changing your diet. Quality restorations bring full function back: chewing strength, bite alignment, and confidence at the table.
Protects Against Further Damage
An untreated crack or cavity doesn't stay the same size. It grows. A crown placed at the right time protects the tooth from fracturing further, from bacterial invasion into the pulp, and from eventual loss. The restoration that costs you less now saves you dramatically more later.
Precision Zirconia Materials
At Advancements in Dental Care, we use Zirconia ceramic restorations — the same material we use for implant crowns. Zirconia is glass-free, extraordinarily strong, and indistinguishable from natural tooth structure in appearance. It handles bite pressure better than traditional porcelain-fused-to-metal and lasts significantly longer.
Natural Appearance
Every restoration we place is custom-matched to the color, shape, and size of your surrounding natural teeth. Patients consistently tell us their friends and family cannot identify which tooth was restored. That's not an accident — it's the result of precision laboratory work and meticulous placement.
Preserves Healthy Tooth Structure
Whenever possible, we take a conservative approach — removing only what is damaged or decayed and preserving as much of your natural tooth as possible. Inlays and onlays, in particular, are precision restorations that treat decay while leaving healthy tooth structure intact.
Long-Term Value
Quality restorations done right are a one-time investment. A Zirconia crown placed with precision can last 20–30 years or more. Bargain restorations, poorly fitted or made from inferior materials, fail sooner and often cause additional damage in the process. In restorative dentistry, you get what you pay for — and then some.
Prevents Tooth Loss
The alternative to timely restoration is often extraction — and the cascade of consequences that follows: bone loss, shifting of neighboring teeth, loss of bite height, and eventual need for implants or dentures. A crown or bridge placed at the right time can prevent all of that.
Comfortable, Lasting Results
When a restoration is fitted with precision, it feels like your natural tooth — no sensitivity to pressure, no awkward bite, no food traps. Patients tell us the right restoration is the one they forget about. That's the goal.
The Process
Your Restoration, Step by Step
Examination and Diagnosis
Every restorative case starts with a thorough examination — not just the tooth in question, but your entire bite, neighboring teeth, gum health, and any existing restorations. We use digital X-rays and, when needed, cone beam CT imaging to see what standard X-rays cannot. You'll receive a clear diagnosis and your options — including why we recommend the specific restoration we do.
Treatment Planning and Cost Estimate
Before we proceed with any treatment, you'll receive a complete, transparent treatment plan with costs laid out clearly. No surprise bills. We discuss all available options — crown vs. inlay vs. onlay, for example — so you understand what each involves and why we're recommending a particular course. We encourage questions.
Tooth Preparation
For crowns, we reshape the tooth to receive the restoration — removing damaged or decayed structure and creating a stable foundation. For inlays and onlays, preparation is more conservative, targeting only the damaged area while preserving healthy tooth structure. A local anesthetic ensures you're comfortable throughout.
Impressions and Temporary Restoration
Precise impressions of your prepared tooth and surrounding teeth are taken and sent to our laboratory. A temporary restoration protects the prepared tooth while your permanent restoration is being custom-fabricated. Most patients find temporary restorations comfortable and fully functional.
Laboratory Fabrication
Your permanent restoration is fabricated by a skilled dental laboratory using your precise impressions. Dr. Aust works closely with trusted labs — laboratory quality is inseparable from clinical outcome. Materials are Zirconia ceramic for crowns, and precision porcelain or ceramic for inlays and onlays, all shade-matched to your natural teeth.
Final Placement and Bite Check
When your permanent restoration arrives, we remove the temporary and carefully fit your final restoration. Before cementing permanently, we check fit, color match, and bite alignment meticulously. Small adjustments are made until everything is perfect. You should leave the office with a restoration that feels completely natural.
“Even though he was able to quickly identify my past dental failures, he conducted an exam and provided me with information and options beyond any past experiences. I never felt rushed, I was comfortable asking questions, and I felt absolutely no guilt for my previous decisions. Dr. Aust educates and partners with his patients to ensure that they have the necessary information needed to make the best decisions both professionally and financially.”
Linda
Restorative Patient
Common Questions
Restorative Dentistry FAQ
Why Dr. Aust
Precision Restorative Dentistry in Brookfield, IL
Restorative dentistry requires more than clinical skill — it requires judgment. The ability to look at a tooth, understand its remaining structure, assess the forces it will face, choose the right restoration, and execute with precision. That judgment is developed over years of advanced training and thousands of cases.
Dr. Michaelangelo Aust, DDS has invested approximately 300 hours per year in continuing education throughout his career — compared to the 25-hour minimum required for licensure. That's not a footnote — it's the difference between a dentist who learned crown prep in dental school and one who has spent decades mastering material science, bite mechanics, and laboratory communication.
Advancements in Dental Care is a fee-for-service practice. We don't participate in insurance networks, which means every treatment recommendation we make is based entirely on what's best for your tooth — not what an insurance company will reimburse at the lowest cost. We use the materials we trust: Zirconia ceramic, precision laboratory fabrication, and meticulous fitting.
We serve patients from Brookfield and throughout the western suburbs of Chicago. Located at 9224 Broadway Ave, Brookfield, IL 60513. Call (708) 485-0340 to schedule your consultation.
If you have a tooth that needs attention — a crack, a broken cusp, an old failing filling, or something that's simply been bothering you — don't wait for it to become an emergency. The right time to restore a tooth is before it fails, not after.
Call Advancements in Dental Care at (708) 485-0340 or visit us at 9224 Broadway Ave, Brookfield, IL 60513. We'll give you an honest assessment, show you exactly what we see, and tell you what your options are. No pressure. Just answers.