Taking care of oral hygiene is a vital element of everyone’s daily life. However, cavities and accidents can still occur even with the best care, leaving your teeth damaged and needing treatment. Luckily, most times, your dental problems have solutions. Usually, a simple restoration is all it takes to make them look brand new. Moreover, many treatment options allow fixing their aesthetics and functionality simultaneously.
Furthermore, when it comes to restorative dentistry, there is a wide variety of procedures and treatments capable of solving any situation you may have, allowing you to maintain a healthy smile. We will explain in this article the different types of restorations and how they can improve your oral health.
What can restorative dentistry do for you?
Dental restorations allow you to maintain your damaged teeth without needing a dental extraction. Although the most common procedure is composite resin fillings, restorative dentistry covers a broader procedure range, such as dentures, crowns, and bridges. Therefore, offering you multiple options to solve all your dental problems.
By replacing the damaged part of the tooth with a biocompatible material, restorative dentistry is aimed to offer aesthetic and functional solutions that will allow you to eat and talk normally. These materials possess enough flexural strength to withstand the jaw occlusal forces while eating and are made of colors that perfectly match the teeth’ shades. As a result, they can mimic the appearance of natural teeth and prevent them from looking artificial.
There are many restoration types designed especially for your needs, such as:
- Aesthetic dental fillings
- They are one of the most common dental procedures, and they can be performed on teeth affected by caries or chipped or fractured due to trauma. In these types of restorations, the cavity is cleaned beforehand, and the affected tooth tissue is removed, eliminating the harmful bacteria on its surface that could cause further damage. Afterward, the cavity edges are smoothed, and your dentist will proceed to fill it with composite. The dentist makes sure to select a composite color that matches that of your natural tooth and use special tools to shape it according to the tooth anatomy. However, in many cases, such as with the frontal teeth, the dentist can even enhance the teeth’ appearance with composite to make the smile look more harmonic or even close the space between teeth called diastema.
- Dental crowns
- These restorations are used to fix teeth with extensive lesions. They act as a cap that entirely covers the tooth to help distribute the biting forces evenly across it. When the tooth integrity has been drastically compromised, a large composite filling would be unable to withstand the occlusal forces. However, dental crowns are made of more resistant materials are capable of distributing the strength evenly. Therefore, preventing the fracture of the restoration.
- Dental crowns can be made of different materials, and their selection will depend on your needs and your case characteristics.Traditional crowns are made of a metal core that allows them to be resistant and are covered by porcelain, which gives them a natural look. Regardless, there are other crowns made entirely of a stronger ceramic or porcelain that is used to achieve even superior optic properties as they reflect light in a similar way to the enamel..
- Dental bridges
- Similar to dental crowns but can be used to replace one or multiple missing teeth. A bridge is made of a crown placed on both teeth next to the empty gap left behind by the missing tooth. Both crowns are connected by another crown that fills the gap and replaces the missing teeth.
- Dental bridges are an excellent alternative to restoring missing teeth. Particularly if the ones next to the empty gap are severely damaged or have an extensive restoration. Like single-tooth dental crowns, bridges can be made of the same materials, such as porcelain fused to metal, Zirconia, and lithium disilicate.
- Implants
- Implants are the current gold standard for replacing missing teeth. A dental implant is a specialized appliance placed inside the jaw or the maxillary bone to simulate the tooth root. After the implant has properly healed, a dental crown can be placed on top of it to restore the missing tooth. The result is a restoration that feels almost the same as having your natural tooth back.
- Dental implants are made of a biocompatible material to prevent rejection. This core can be either Titanium or Zirconia. Furthermore, the success rate of dental implants is as high as 98%, turning them into the best alternative to restore missing teeth.
- Dentures
- Dentures are an excellent alternative when there is extensive teeth loss. They can be easily removed at any time and are easy to maintain. Depending on the case, dentures can be made entirely of acrylic or have a metal body connecting all their elements and parts. They rest on top of the gums, and if there are still teeth remaining in the mouth, they attach to them for better stability and retention.
- Furthermore, dental implants can also be used in combination with dentures. It allows fixing the denture to implants, managing to achieve better results and more comfort as the denture will be more stable and easier to get used to.
Restorative dentistry allows you to solve most dental problems. The wide range of procedures and materials allows for a large coverage of needs. Whether you have a small cavity that can be fixed with a composite filling, an extensive lesion that must be treated with a crown, or if you are missing one or more teeth, restorative dentistry has a perfect solution for your case. Moreover, all the treatments are highly aesthetic, allowing the dentist to restore the teeth’ function while maintaining a natural look. Furthermore, in many cases even enhances the appearance of the teeth and the smile, helping you achieve the results you have been looking for..
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Dr. Rahaf Suede, DDS at Great Lakes Smiles Dental is trusted by many patients in Plymouth and surrounding areas for comprehensive dental care. She is recognized for her high quality dental treatment and patient satisfaction. Contact her now for an appointment Call (734) 459-9360
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