Restorative dentistry focuses on treatments involving repairing or restoring damaged or decayed teeth. Some of its benefits include:
Several dental issues can cause discomfort, appetite loss, and stress. Restorative dentistry resolves these issues. Our clinic offers porcelain veneers, dental bonding for worn teeth inlays, and porcelain dental crowns for teeth with more extensive damage.
Tooth decay is 20 times more common than diabetes, making it the most common chronic dental condition among children, and many people often continue to experience cavities throughout adulthood. Unfortunately, tooth decay and cavities negatively affect the function and structure of your teeth.
Restorative dentistry prevents further damage and dental health issues. Our expert in restorative dentistry often recommends dental implants as the most natural tooth replacement option.
Our dental experts might also advise you to get dental bridges, which can replace one or a few missing teeth. Or you can opt for dentures, which can restore an entire arch.
It’s important to know the different treatments that fall under a dental restoration to save money on your prospective dental procedure. That said, below are the most common dental restoration procedures for your specific needs.
When harmful bacteria enter your mouth, it makes acids that attack the tooth enamel and cause tooth decay. Tooth decay then leads to small holes called cavities. These holes, if left untreated, can enlarge over time and cause more severe infection, worse, tooth loss.
Dental fillings can help repair such damage. This dental procedure involves removing the decayed portion of the tooth and filling the area with certain materials. These materials include gold, porcelain, silver amalgam, composite resin or tooth-colored, plastic, and glass.
We provide amalgam and tooth-colored fillings for safe and natural-looking restorations. With the latest technology, tooth-colored fillings have become the more popular and healthier choice due to their long-term strength and aesthetic appeal. Aside from that, tooth-colored fillings bond with the tooth itself, which creates a tighter seal and strengthens the tooth against fracture.
A porcelain dental crown is an encasing or cover for a damaged tooth. This tooth-shaped cap is placed over a tooth, enhancing its appearance and overall structure.
Porcelain dental crowns also strengthen and improve the function of damaged teeth. Our expert in dental crowns recommends a porcelain crown if you previously had root canal therapy. Crowns can also restore missing teeth.
Candidates for dental crowns may need between two and three dental visits to complete the process. The tooth and surrounding area are examined to ensure it is free of dental infection.
If the tooth has a large cavity near the internal structures or if it has an infection, root canal therapy may need to be performed before the procedure. If you have a dental implant, that procedure should be completed before the crown is placed.
When a cavity is untreated, the affected tooth, the jaw bone, and even the mouth’s soft tissues can be permanently affected. The tooth’s structure can be compromised, so dentists traditionally use dental crowns when teeth have suffered extensive decay or cavities. However, inlays and onlays may be the better option.
Also called indirect fillings, inlays and onlays are conservative alternatives to dental crowns. Similar to dental fillings, they can restore decayed or damaged teeth. Like a crown, however, they are made in a dental laboratory for a flawless fit.
A restorative dentist will recommend either an inlay, which restores damage or decay between the cusps of a tooth or an onlay, which repairs damage by covering one or more cusps.
Symptoms of a severe infection include toothache, throbbing pain that worsens at night, pimple or swelling at the base of the tooth, tooth discoloration, temperature, and pressure sensitivity.
In extreme cases such as a severe infection, a root canal treatment can save or protect and provide great and long-lasting relief.
If untreated, though, the infection can spread into the surrounding tissues and trigger bone loss around the tooth’s root, resulting in tooth loss or damage to adjacent teeth.
Tooth extraction is recommended if a tooth is severely deteriorated or decayed. This procedure is also for patients with other orthodontic issues such as advanced periodontal disease, wisdom teeth issues, and extensive teeth crowding.
Cosmetic and restorative dentistry have certain similarities. General dentists can perform both treatments, but their purpose and materials differ in several ways.
Restorative dentistry focuses on restoring function, while cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving visual appearance. Dental crowns, for example, can be a restorative and cosmetic procedure.
If done after a root canal procedure to protect the remaining tooth from further damage, it is restorative. Nonetheless, if done to improve tooth contour, color, and size, it is cosmetic.
Restorative dentistry provides several advantages for people of all ages. Among those are the following.
Healthy and strong teeth contribute to your overall health. Restorative dental procedures will keep your teeth and gums in their best shape, thus minimizing the chances of contracting gum and teeth-related diseases. Aside from that, these procedures provide a durable and long-term solution for your dental health needs.
Dental health issues can be uncomfortable and painful. If left untreated, it causes infection and decay. Exposure to cold or hot temperatures results in much pain for the affected area. Restorative dentistry eliminates this discomfort by addressing the root cause and repairing the damage.
Failure to treat dental health issues will cause worsening damage. Cracks, chips, and fractures will result in tissue infections, thus forcing you to get a tooth extraction. Nipping these issues in the bud will prevent you from experiencing further tooth decay and damage.
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Restoration and dental filling are two different procedures. A dental filling is seen as a quick fix by filling a hole in the tooth, while a tooth restoration is a long-term solution by which the tooth is brought back to its original function and structure.
Tooth restoration procedures vary depending on the patient. Most treatments cause little to no pain due to recent advancements in the numbing agents during the treatment. It is, however, usual to experience mild discomfort and sensitivity after the procedure.
Tooth restorations can last for 15 years, on average. But the length of time can vary based on several factors, such as habits, wear and tear, and external trauma.
Restorative dentistry is safe for children. It can preserve a child’s primary teeth damaged by extensive tooth decay or external trauma.
It’s essential to take good care of your teeth because your oral health can affect your ability to eat, smile, speak, and show emotions. Your oral health matters because it can affect your self-esteem, school performance, and attendance at work or school.
With the help of our experts in Culver City Dentist United Dental Care, you can get the best restorative treatment for your needs and preferences.
Reach us at our office at Sepulveda Boulevard, Culver City. Or book an appointment now!
