Restorative dentistry enables our team to repair damaged teeth and provide treatment for common issues like tooth decay. We can even secure lifelike replacement for your missing teeth! In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist looks at how we improve your smile’s appearance, health, and stability with restorative dentistry.
When to Seek Restorative Dentistry
When should you see our team for restorative dentistry? You should consider an appointment when you encounter any discomfort in your tooth. Sensitivity in your teeth or a toothache that lasts for more than a day could indicate decay or even infection, and care is needed to avoid the loss of your teeth. If you have chipped or cracked a tooth, even if the injury seems minor, consider an appointment as even a small fracture or chip could lead to cavities or even an infection. If you have lost a tooth, again see us for treatment as replacing your missing tooth could spare you from major oral health complications! A visit now is a chance to see us and undergo care before the holiday season makes things too hectic, and before your 2025 dental benefits expire.
A Filling for Your Tooth
When you have a cavity, our team can provide relief with a tooth filling. Made from a composite resin, this is metal-free and shaded to blend with your tooth, so it looks natural. The placement only takes one visit, and this helps prevent infection from forming, and ensures you can smile with confidence. The same material can also be used to address issues with the appearance of your smile. We will discuss this more in our section on dental bonding!
Placing a Dental Crown
A full restoration, known as a dental crown, can provide lifelike and durable restoration for your smile. This caps your tooth and covers the entire visible portion, so we can address more severe injuries and take on advanced tooth decay. Placement could even improve bite balance and chewing function for some! We can also address more severe infection in the tooth, or dental fractures that could go to the gum line or beyond. The restoration will be made from lifelike and durable materials, such as porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or zirconia, which we can color-match to blend with your smile.
Dental Bridges
If you have lost a tooth, or as many as three in a row, then you could benefit from a dental bridge. The prosthetic will contain new teeth with crowns on each end, all made from ceramic and shaded to blend with your smile. We attach the crown portions to the abutment teeth, the natural ones on each side of the gap in your smile. This can ensure the lifelike appearance you want, and the materials can also handle daily bite forces and pressures too. For most, these last about 10 to 15 years.
Bonding and Contouring
Dental bonding can mask teeth stains, repair minor damage, and even correct the shape of the teeth and fill in gaps between them. We use the same composite resin as our fillings so the process takes one visit and ensures a more natural appearance. We could also contour the teeth to correct esthetic issues, addressing any concerns with the surfaces of the teeth, such as pits, grooves, and rough patches. The procedure can dull sharp, jagged, or pointed portions too. We could even correct the appearance of minor chips and address overly large teeth in one sitting!
Placing Dental Implants
For new teeth that look and function like natural ones, our team can support dental implants. These are biocompatible posts made from titanium, and they are surgically inserted into your jaw, where they act like new tooth roots. Once in place, these bond with the jaw and keep it intact, so your new teeth can stay secured for decades to come, possibly a lifetime. We can then complete the new tooth with a crown, so it looks natural and handles daily bite forces with ease.
Securing Implant-Supported Dentures
If you have more severe tooth loss, then restorative dentistry can allow us to secure a set of dentures with dental implants, so your smile is fixed in place and can last far longer than removable alternatives. These never slip when you eat or speak, and don’t need to be removed for cleaning. If you have any questions about restorative dentistry, then contact our team today to learn more.
Schedule a Visit for Restorative Dentistry
We are ready to help you smile with confidence and avoid oral health complications with our custom dental restorations! To learn more about improving smiles with restorative dentistry, call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at (913)681-5500.
