The Magic of Restorative Dentistry
The term ‘restorative dentistry’ refers to managing oral health problems and restoring the mouth’s functionality and aesthetic state. The normal procedures that we get done when we visit the dentist are all included in this category. Treatments such as veneers, crowns, fillings, bridges, dentures, dental implants, etc. all come under the umbrella of restorative dentistry. The experts at New York Total Dental note that there are some situations where teeth are missing or damaged from decay, accidents, or injuries that may require full mouth rehabilitation.
Protects your teeth
The goal of restorative dentistry as the name suggests is to restore the mouth to its proper form and function. By filling in the gaps between teeth, you’re making sure that none of these gaps are filled by cavities and the teeth remain healthy.
Regular Visits: Sound oral health
The unusually shaped dental gaps are the places where a normal toothbrush stroke can’t reach, and that results in plaque buildup. That is why we need to visit the dentist every 6 months: to make sure that diagnosis, prevention and treatment of oral diseases are addressed in a timely fashion.
There are four types of materials that help restore the natural shape and health of your teeth:
- Porcelain
- Dental
- Amalgam
- Composite resin/gold
There are a variety of dental restorative procedures that require these materials to restore the functionality of your teeth. As far as perfecting the look of your teeth is concerned, that comes under cosmetic procedures. Read on for some tooth restorative measures:
Filling
Filling is one of the restorative methods. Fillings use amalgam to restore the tooth’s natural density. This procedure is used on back teeth. Amalgam fillings use an alloy that is silvery and shiny in appearance. Composite fillings use resins that are tooth-colored for a more natural look. These types of fillings are used on both front and posterior teeth. More people prefer composite fillings because they look natural, whereas the amalgam fillings take on a darker shade.
Veneers
When one’s incisors are damaged, chipped or stained a restorative method called veneers are used. The best thing about veneers is that they not only protect teeth, but they also give them a shiny look and a healthy appearance. A veneer is cemented to a grated tooth (to attain the natural height of the tooth) and then held in place for a while. This fixes it in place and looks natural.
Crown
A crown is a restorative method where the tooth damage is greater. When a veneer can’t help in restoring a tooth, the crown comes to rescue. The entire part of the tooth that has been damaged is covered with a crown with the help of dental adhesives.
Bridges
A bridge is another type of restorative dentistry. Bridges act as prosthetics when one or more teeth need to be replaced.
Oral hygiene is very important. We need to take care of our permanent teeth which are, as the name suggests, permanent for the rest of our lives. Advances in restorative dentistry have helped us improve oral health. Where cosmetic dentistry is a means to beautify, restorative dentistry aims at keeping the teeth healthy and strong.