Restorations
Teeth can break, chip, and decay. Sometimes damaged teeth can be restored, and sometimes they’re so badly damaged they have to be replaced with prosthetics. But modern dental advances have expanded what tooth restoration can do.
Restorative dentistry can:
- Fill in gaps from missing teeth
- Prevent bone loss and loss of more teeth
- Improve your smile
- Relieve pain
- Repair damaged teeth
- Restore normal eating.
Implants
Implants are replacement teeth or roots surgically implanted into the jaw bone. They can function as teeth themselves or as bases for dental bridges. They can last for many years, but might still need adjustment eventually.
By replacing missing teeth, implants can prevent other teeth from shifting out of place or falling out. They may also be able to correct speech defects, and generally restore a person’s confidence.
Root Canal
A root canal procedure can save the structure of a tooth that has been infected or has decayed at the root. The pulp inside the tooth is taken out, together with the nerves and any decayed material.
The inside is cleaned out thoroughly, and then filled with a special material to reinforce the tooth and prevent further infection.
A root infection without a root canal operation would mean the tooth would fall out.
Dentures
A denture is a removable dental device that replace missing teeth. They are made to look realistic and are specially fitted by a dentist to be as comfortable as possible.
Partial dentures cover a small section, if only a few teeth are missing. If few natural teeth are left, the remaining ones may be removed and the whole jaw fitted with complete dentures.
Dentures can last for years but may need adjustment or repair every so often.
Bridges
A dental bridge is like a partial denture because it covers a small gap, but it is fixed, not removable, and anchored into the teeth on either side of the gap.
The anchor teeth are called abutments and have to be modified to act as the supports. In some cases, dental implants can act as abutments.
As with other dental restoration methods, bridges restore proper chewing and speaking ability, keep remaining teeth from drifting, preserve facial shape and restore your smile.
