Yes, restorative dentistry can give you your smile back again.
Everyone deserves to smile with confidence, and our practice can help you get there. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the different restorative dentistry services that our dental team provides. From crowns and bridges to dentures and implants, there’s a treatment for any concern.
What is restorative dentistry?
Dental services are generally grouped into three main categories:
- Cosmetic dentistry.
- Preventative dentistry.
- Restorative dentistry.
Cosmetic dentistry services focus on improving the overall appearance of your smile. For instance, teeth whitening and porcelain veneers are two common cosmetic treatments. Preventative dentistry services, on the other hand, help patients achieve and maintain optimal oral care. These treatments range from cleanings and cavity preventions to custom night guard fittings, perio therapy, and more.
Then, there’s restorative dentistry. Restorative dentistry services restore the form and function of your teeth if they’ve been compromised for any reason. This may include trauma, injury, poor dental care, or simply years of wear and tear.
These services can help treat a range of dental issues. Common concerns include missing teeth, as well as broken, cracked, or discolored teeth.
Why is it important?
Whether you’re missing teeth or dealing with a painful cracked tooth, it’s critical you take care of these issues as quickly as possible.
Leaving them untreated can directly affect both your physical appearance and your overall health. Without a full set of healthy teeth, everyday actions including chewing, speaking, and drinking become much more difficult.
At the same time, you’ll begin to notice changes in the appearance of your smile. You may also feel pain around your mouth and jawbone. These effects are caused by your existing teeth moving, sliding, and shifting around to fill in existing spaces, creating new ones in the process.
In time, you may become overly conscious about your smile, which can take a toll on your self-esteem.
Restorative dentistry services help address these problems, alleviating the physical and emotional pain that can result from missing or damaged teeth.
Types of Restorative Dentistry Services Available
At our practice, we provide many different types of restorative dentistry services. We’ll briefly explain how each service works and what issues it helps treat.
Dental Implants
If you’re missing a single tooth or several teeth, a dental implant can help fill in that gap and complete your smile.
One of the most permanent forms of restorative dentistry, this procedure involves placing a surgical-grade titanium post into your jawbone and allowing the two surfaces to bond.
As they do, they fuse together and create a secure foundation. Once that process is complete, your dentist can attach a custom-made crown or prosthetic tooth that mimics the look and feel of your natural tooth.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges can also help restore your smile and improve your oral health if you’re missing teeth.
Instead of relying on the titanium post used in an implant, a bridge will anchor in place by attaching to the existing teeth or crowns on either side of the space. Your dentist will apply an extra-strong cement to make sure this adhesion stays firmly in place.
While traditional bridges were crafted using a combination of metal and porcelain, all-porcelain bridges now offer a more natural, realistic appearance.
Dentures
If you have multiple missing teeth that cannot be corrected with a dental bridge, your dentist may recommend dentures as an alternative solution.
Full dentures are best for someone missing all or nearly all of their teeth, while partial dentures are ideal if you’re missing a few of your teeth but still have several left in place. In this case, partial dentures can help fill the space where your teeth once were, keeping your existing teeth from shifting, tilting, or growing inward toward the gap.
Both types of dentures are made to mimic your natural gum tissue and teeth, using a combination of synthetic plastic and lightweight metal for support. With regular wear, they can help preserve the bone and soft tissue around your mouth and jaw.
Implant-Supported Dentures
Full and partial dentures are designed to be removable, held in place with a special dental adhesive. While this adhesive is designed to be powerful and effective, it isn’t failproof. For a more secure fit, your dentist may recommend implant-supported dentures. Implant-supported dentures use precisely placed implants to anchor your dentures. They better distribute your biting pressure and don’t slide around. They’re also removable for cleaning and maintenance.
Dental Crowns
Like dental implants and bridges, porcelain dental crowns are also customized. However, these aren’t meant to go in between your teeth. A crown goes on top of your teeth, where it can cover any breaks, cracks or discolorations. Once your dentist prepares your tooth, a protective crown completely covers it.
The crown will be specially made to match the rest of your teeth, so you won’t even notice it’s there! However, you will notice that the pain from the crack or break is gone, as are any cosmetic issues.
Restore your smile and confidence.
If you’ve been smiling with your mouth closed, it’s time to show off your teeth again. Restorative dentistry services can repair the appearance of your teeth and gums. It can also resolve nagging oral pain and help you to reclaim your quality of life. We’d love to share more about the services we provide, the tools we use, and the approach we take. Contact our office today to ask any questions or request an appointment!