What Is Restorative Dentistry?

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry states that restorative dentistry is a detailed process of replacing damaged or missing teeth. You can choose to have dental implants, crowns, fillings, or bridges from this dental field. The goal of this type of dentistry is to restore your smile while preventing dental health issues in the future. If you want to understand more about restorative dentistry, here’s what you should know.

The Essence

Restorative dentistry can help treat dental conditions and injuries. It combines various treatments from other fields of dentistry, including periodontics, endodontics, and prosthodontics. This is usually the case for patients who need different types of treatments from different specialists. Your dental care provider’s goal is to bring back the natural feel, look, and shape of your teeth.

Experts say that restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry often use some of the same procedure codes or materials. Yet, even if the outcome improves the patient’s appearance, it is still restorative dentistry if the treatment is for a certain disease. Cosmetic dentistry is solely for the improvement of your appearance.

The Dental Materials

Replacing certain structures of your teeth is an essential part of this field of dentistry. Specialists fabricate various dental restorations like fillings, dentures, implants, and crowns. The common materials used for these restorations are:

• Base and noble materials

• Metals

• Denture base resins

• Amalgam alloys

• Composites

• Polymers

• Ceramics

The Treatments

Below are the most common treatments in restorative dentistry:

• Dentures. These are either fixed or removable synthetic teeth that take the place of your missing teeth. Dentures are usually for people who lose most or all their teeth to periodontitis or tooth decay. You can choose from several types of dentures to fit your needs and budget.
• Crowns. You can get either metal or tooth-colored crowns. They fill the space left by your missing teeth. You can also get crowns as caps that bring back the normal look and function of your natural teeth.
• Dental bridges. If you have one to two consecutive teeth that are missing, then these restorations can cover them. You just need two natural, healthy teeth on opposite ends of the bridge to act as support for the synthetic teeth between them. Dental bridges usually help patients who lost their teeth to severe tooth decay or extractions.
• Dental implants. Most people want to get dental implants because they are durable and reliable. These restorations are also natural-looking. You and your dental surgeon would be the only ones to know that you have dental implants.
• Onlays and inlays. These are less-intrusive gold or partial tooth-colored dental restorations that target damaged or missing teeth.
• Dental bonding. If you have little gaps between your teeth (diastema), cavities or discolored teeth, this could be the restorative treatment for you.

If your oral health needs restorative dental procedures, you should talk to your Cosmetic or Restorative Dentist in Bedford TX about it. At Above & Beyond Dental, we always give our patients a comprehensive dental exam first before we proceed with the recommended treatment. Please call our dental offic in Bedford, Texas at (817) 571-1667 if you want to schedule a consultation or ask questions about our restorative treatment options.