Restorative Dentistry
General and restorative dentistry involves the diagnosis of all issues relating to the health and function of the smile, including the treatment and repair of broken, infected, or otherwise damaged teeth, gums, and tissue. General dentists serve as the primary care provider for their patients, managing their oral health care needs and coordinating treatment with specialists when necessary.
There are a variety of services that can be performed by a general dentist:
- Tooth-colored fillings
- Extractions
- Cosmetic crowns, bridges, and veneers
- Dentures
- Root canal treatment
- Periodontal treatment
- Restoration of dental implants
Dentures
Dentures are a removable replacement for missing teeth. There are two types of dentures. Partial dentures are used when you have some natural teeth remaining. They are made to fit around your existing teeth. They can be made to match the shade and shape of your remaining natural teeth to give you a more uniform smile.
Complete Dentures are used to replace all of your teeth. They can give you a brighter whiter smile. They can fill out your upper and lower lips to give you a younger looking appearance. With this option you can choose the color and shape of your new teeth.
Both options are made with very natural looking teeth attached to a gum colored base. Even the gum colored base looks very natural. Dentures can improve your smile in several ways.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy or endodontic treatment is necessary when a cavity is allowed to reach all the way to the pulp of the tooth. Very deep restorations or trauma to the tooth may result in the need for root canal therapy as well. Once the decay has reached the pulp the tooth will become infected and can even extend through the tip of the root and begin to eat away at the surrounding bone. When a tooth becomes infected, it must be treated and cannot heal on its own. It can even weaken your entire immune system. This is dangerous, not to mention very painful. Signs that the pulp has become infected may include, sensitivity to hot, cold or sweets, pain, swelling, sensitive to biting or pressure and a bad taste in the mouth.
Sometimes, however, no symptoms are apparent and you are unaware of any problem until your checkup. A root canal is then performed to clean out the pulp and disinfect the canals of the tooth. Once the infection is cleared, the canals are filled in and sealed to prevent any further infection. Usually a core build-up and crown are recommended to complete the restoration. The only other option for an infected pulp would be extraction.
Composite Fillings
The cosmetic alternative to traditional silver fillings
A composite
filling is a tooth colored quartz-like material. After all the decay is removed and cleaned, the composite
material is layered into the tooth.
Each layer is hardened or cured with a highly intense visible
light. The final surface is shaped
and polished to match your existing tooth. The final restoration is virtually invisible. This material can also be used to
repair chipped teeth or to alter the shape of a tooth or even close small gaps
between teeth. If you are
interested in learning more come in and let Dr. Gray tell you if you are a
candidate for this type of restoration.
Advantages
Composite
fillings are more than just attractive.
They bond directly to the surface of the tooth and may require a less aggressive prep (removal of healthy tooth
structure) than a silver filling.
Disadvantages
The initial
investment in a composite filling is more than for a silver filling. This is due to the higher cost of the
material. The restoration is more
time consuming and difficult to place.
Alternatives
Inlays/onlays
are sometimes a good alternative to composite fillings offering excellent long
term durability. In cases of extensive decay or large fracture, crowns are the
only alternative.
Amalgam
Dental amalgam is a special dental filling material that dentists use to repair cavities caused by tooth decay. The United States Food and Drug Administration has an in-depth description of amalgam fillings online; to view it, click on this Amalgam Fillings link.
