Restorative Dentistry is a field of dentistry that focuses on repairing or replacing damaged or missing teeth to improve oral health and restore chewing function. The main goals are to save teeth and restore their natural look, shape, and feel. Treatments under restorative dentistry include:
- Fillings: When a tooth develops a cavity or minor decay, a filling is used to restore the tooth back to its normal function and shape. The dentist will first remove the decayed tooth material, clean the affected area, and then fill the cleaned-out cavity with a filling material. This material can be gold, porcelain, silver amalgam, or composite resin.
- Crowns: Also known as caps, crowns are custom-fitted coverings that replace the entire natural crown of a tooth. They are used when a tooth is fractured, has a large filling, or is severely damaged by decay. Crowns can be made from various materials including metal, porcelain fused to metal, resin, or ceramic.
- Bridges: Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge is made up of two or more crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap and a false tooth/teeth in between. These false teeth can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials.
- Implants: Dental implants are replacement tooth roots that provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. The implant itself is a small titanium post that is surgically placed into the bone socket of the missing tooth.
- Dentures: These are removable appliances that can replace missing teeth and help restore your smile. If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Dentures make it easier to eat and speak than you could without teeth—things that people often take for granted.
Each of these treatments has its own specific indications and may be recommended based on the individual’s dental health needs and aesthetic goals.
These procedures aim to maintain a healthy, functioning smile and are typically performed by general dentists.