Restorative dentists aim to protect or restore your oral health, function, and appearance. Achieving these goals often involves repairing or replacing missing or damaged teeth. While they offer many restorative services, here are the five most common.
A restorative dentist will introduce a dental bridge to ensure the teeth do not shift after a tooth is lost. The bridge consists of two dental crowns and a false tooth, or pontic, with the former being on either side of the latter. To install, the dentist must shave down the natural teeth adjacent to the gap (missing tooth). They will bond the crowns onto the shaven teeth, allowing the pontic to span the gap. Bridges can last five to 15 years, depending on how well patients care for them.
A restorative dentist will introduce dental crowns or caps to a natural tooth made vulnerable after decay removal or trauma. They can also recommend them as an attachment to a dental implant for a single missing tooth. They are custom-made to closely resemble the patient's natural teeth and usually require two appointments. The first is to prep the tooth, which involves removing decay or brittle structures. The dentist will also take 3D images and impressions, which they will send to an offsite lab for crown creation. Placing the permanent crown will occur about two weeks later, only requiring bonding.
Dental fillings comprise composite materials that shape a hole left behind after decay removal or a crack from a fracture. The procedure involves numbing the patient with a local anesthetic before removing decay or brittle bone. They will then place the filling, shape it to match the space, and harden the material using a special light. Finally, the dentist will have the patient perform bite tests to ensure their mouths can close together normally, making adjustments as necessary.
Dental implants are another option for missing teeth. With proper care, they can last a lifetime. The restorative dentist will recommend this option for only a select few. The patient must be able to commit to the nine-month process and multiple surgical procedures, as well as pass the candidacy process. The first surgery will consist of inserting the base of the implant into the jawbone, followed by an osseointegration process that allows the bone and implant to fuse—about three months. The second surgery consists of placing the abutment on top of the base, which includes the dentist reopening the gum line. Another round of healing will follow, but only for a few weeks. The third appointment is the placement of dentures, crowns, or bridges, whichever was chosen earlier in the process.
Restorative dentists will try to salvage teeth before extractions are necessary. Therefore, in the cases of severe decay, that is made possible through root canal therapy. Decay that reaches the pulp chamber, which encompasses the connective tissue and nerves, completely compromises the tooth's health. Pain, sensitivity, and discomfort can follow. During the procedure, the dentist will remove all decay in the tooth's structure and the pulp chamber. The chamber is replaced with a material called gutta-percha, which prevents the tooth from dying and becoming infected. Another appointment will follow to place a restoration, such as a dental crown.
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