There are many types of restorative dentistry to get your smile back on track. Regardless of
whether you’ve experienced tooth decay, missing teeth, cracks, or broken teeth, restorative
dentistry is here to return your smile to its absolute best. What are your restorative dentistry
options?

Fillings

Dental fillings are a very common restoration. Using a filling material that’s safe and effective,
your dentist will fill in your cavity to protect the tooth from further decay and keep the rest of
your mouth healthy. Almost everyone has had some type of dental filling in their lifetime.
Dental fillings will need to be maintained and ultimately replaced to ensure continued
protection.

Bridges

A dental bridge may be a good fit for you if you’re missing one or more teeth in a row. Dental
bridges rely on the surrounding teeth to bridge the gap with a dental crown. Bridges are ideal
for missing back teeth and, like most other forms of restorative dentistry, will need to be
maintained and replaced after a certain number of years.

Crowns

A dental crown is a ceramic tooth replacement that looks very much like your natural tooth.
Crowns are used in restorative dentistry when a filling is too large to be restored or the tooth is
so damaged it needs to be capped to protect it. A sturdy crown will fit over your existing tooth
to prevent it from experiencing further decay or harm. A dental crown will be indistinguishable
from the rest of your teeth.

Veneers

Dental veneers, like crowns, consist of ceramic. They are thin and light, yet very durable and
strong. Veneers are placed over your natural teeth and permanently fixed into place. They can
fix a variety of issues with your smile for a complete transformation, from stubborn stains to
extensive chips to worn-down teeth.

Implants

Dental implants consist of a titanium implant that’s inserted into your jaw where your missing
tooth is. Once this is healed, a crown is placed on the end of the implant. Dental implants mimic
your natural teeth and, once healed, will never need to be replaced, although your dental
crown will need to be replaced at some point in the future.

Bonding

Dental bonding involves the use of composite resin—a tooth-colored material sometimes used
for fillings—to fix cracks, chips, broken teeth, and even gaps. Dental bonding is effective for a
variety of uses in restoration dentistry to complete your perfect smile.

Dentures

Dentures are false teeth that are designed to fit comfortably in your mouth. Unlike dental
implants or veneers, dentures are removable and will need to be removed and cleaned daily.
You have the option of a partial denture or a full set depending on how many of your natural
teeth are missing.

For whatever has impacted your smile, restoration dentistry can make it right. Addressing the
root cause of your concern can help you and your dentist make the best choice for your smile.
Make an appointment with your dentist today to talk about your restorative dentistry options
and get your beautiful smile back!

The post What Are the Different Types of Restorative Dentistry? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Tooth wear can happen quickly or over a long period of time. Unfortunately, most people don’t
notice the wear until they are experiencing quite a bit of pain. Once the tooth enamel is worn
away, the softer tissue underneath—called dentin—begins to wear away as well.

How can you treat teeth that have been worn down, sometimes severely? Here are your
treatment options for restoring this type of damage on your smile!

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding involves using a material that matches the color of your teeth to build the
damaged part of the tooth back up. This material is called composite resin and is used for a
variety of treatments in dentistry, even fillings!

Dental bonding with composite resin can improve your appearance and prevent further
damage to your smile. However, it may not be the best treatment choice if the damage to your
worn down teeth is severe.

This form of treatment can help the teeth appear longer and decrease the chances of future
damage. Dental bonding will need to be reapplied every so often in order for it to continue to
protect and enhance your smile, so regular dental visits are important when you choose this
form of treatment.

Dental bonding can usually be done in just one appointment, helping your teeth look better in
just one day!

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns can be used for severe cases of worn down teeth. This type of treatment
involves a tooth restoration that’s very durable—typically made out of porcelain—that’s
permanently placed over your tooth to protect the damaged tissue underneath.

If your teeth are severely worn down, a crown lengthening procedure may be needed before
dental crowns can be an option. Crown lengthening involves reshaping your gums to expose
more of your tooth to create a more natural-looking smile.

Dental crowns help to protect your teeth in addition to restoring function and improving
appearance. You and your dentist can discuss if dental crowns are an option for your worn
down teeth.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers consist of a lightweight shell that’s placed over your damaged teeth and
permanently bonded there. Veneers can help alleviate tooth sensitivity and restore function
and beauty to your smile.

When worn down teeth make you look older than you really are, porcelain veneers can make
your smile strong and healthy again. You can even customize your color to have whiter teeth,
making this option more of a total makeover.

Treatment for your worn down teeth will depend on the cause of the wear and how extensive
the damage is. Normally, treatment will also involve addressing the root cause of your worn
down teeth, such as bruxism. You and your dentist can discuss these different treatment
options based on your unique smile!

The post Which Treatment Options Are Available for Worn Down Teeth? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Dental implants have many long-term benefits that you’ll soon see. Here’s why implants are the
best investment for your smile in the long run!

Stimulate Bone Growth

One of the best benefits of dental implants is that they stimulate bone growth in your jaw.
When you lose a tooth, the bone that once supported that tooth will begin to diminish over
time. Without a replacement, the body has no need for this bone. When your jaw bone loses
density, your face can begin to have a shrunken or aged appearance.

With dental implants, the bone in your jaw is once again stimulated by a “tooth”. This will help
enhance the fullness of your face and may even give you a younger appearance. This will also
help your jaw remain strong and healthy over your lifetime!

Save Money on Future Replacements

Since dental implants have the potential to last a lifetime with the proper care, they save you
money on future replacements. With dentures and bridges, a replacement is inevitable after a
few years. With dental implants, you have a permanent solution that will never need to be
replaced. Only the dental crown will need to be replaced, and these crowns have the potential
to last a decade or even longer!

Reduce Risk of Cavities

Since dental implants aren’t able to get cavities, you’ll help reduce the chances that bacteria
from tooth decay or gum disease will build up on your replaced teeth. This could facilitate a
healthier smile with the proper home care and regular visits to your dentist!

Keep Teeth from Shifting

Dental implants prevent your teeth from shifting over time. Teeth shifting happens as the result
of missing teeth, which the body will then compensate for by slowly moving the remaining
teeth into their place. Dental implants help your teeth stay in their proper positions over your
lifetime, so you won’t have the need for cosmetic work as the result of shifting!

Enjoy Food Again

You’ll never have to worry about your dental implant falling out or causing you any discomfort,
unlike some cosmetic tooth replacements. This means you can enjoy all the foods you used to
enjoy before you lost your tooth or teeth. In fact, since dental implants function just like your
normal teeth, you’re unlimited in what you can have to eat!

Improve Confidence

Dental implants not only provide you with an array of long-term physical benefits for your
smile, they provide lasting emotional benefits as well. They often give patients the confidence
to smile again, to fully express themselves, and to enjoy foods out in public. Even your speech
may improve, as missing teeth can make it difficult to pronounce words properly.

From inspiring confidence to providing you with a sturdy, functional, and beautiful solution to
your missing teeth, dental implants are rapidly becoming the most popular choice to restore
smiles. Have you been considering dental implants? Make an appointment with your dentist
today to discuss the long-term benefits dental implants may have in store for you!

The post What Are Long-Term Benefits of Dental Implants? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Once your actual dental implant is placed, this will need to heal for a period of time before you get your crown attached to the end. During this period of time, your mouth will likely be sore and possibly bruised. It’s best to eat cold foods and drinks as much as possible. It’s also vital that you do not touch your dental implant. You can use ice to help with the swelling if needed.

Your dentist may give you a special mouthwash to use during this time, but you should avoid brushing the dental implant while it’s healing; this may take a few days. Always follow your dentist’s care instructions!

Once Your Implant Has Healed

Once your implant has healed and the crown is attached, gently clean your dental implant with a soft-bristled tooth brush. Avoid aggressive brushing—it’s not necessary. You need to keep your dental implant clean and remove plaque daily through brushing and flossing. Keeping your dental implants clean can extend the lifespan of your crown and keep your implant healthy and strong!

If you smoke, getting dental implants is good motivation to quit. Smoking not only increases your risk for gum disease and oral cancer, but prevents healing in the mouth. While your dental implant is healing, it’s crucial to avoid smoking to reduce the chances of infection so that your implant can heal.

Long-Term Care

Brushing and flossing your dental implants regularly just like your natural teeth can help you maintain great oral health. Gentle brushing is easy enough, but flossing may require a little extra effort around your dental implants. You should use the floss to get trapped food and plaque underneath your dental crown near the top of your implant.

Food or plaque that get trapped in this section can cause problems, so take a few extra seconds to get underneath your dental crown. This can help make sure your dental implants are squeaky clean and healthy! You should also visit your dentist regularly to ensure your dental implants are doing great. Your crown will need to be replaced eventually, so your dentist can examine your implants during your visit and let you know how you’re doing with your oral care.

Dental implants are one of the best choices for effective tooth replacement. Taking care of your dental implants requires brushing and flossing just like your natural teeth. You’ll also need to visit the dentist just like you do for your regular smile. Enjoy your new dental implants with these best care habits!

The post How to Best Take Care of Your New Dental Implants appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

What Is the Difference Between a Dental Implant and a Veneer?

Think of a dental implant as a replacement tooth. A titanium implant is put into the bone as an anchor. A crown that matches the shape and color of the surrounding teeth is affixed to it to fill in the gap.

A veneer is more like a cover for an existing tooth – usually one that has been damaged. The cover works to prevent the tooth from further damage or decay while maintaining an even surface for chewing. A crown will also be matched to the surrounding teeth so as to look as natural as possible. So, do you need an implant or a veneer? Here are the situations where these methods are commonly used.

When to Get an Implant

Replacing a lost or extracted tooth – Sometimes just one or two teeth are lost. An implant can actually help you to maintain your normal bite and the appearance of your smile without damaging the surrounding teeth.

Prevent shifting of teeth – When a tooth is lost, it leaves room for other teeth to move. Even if you don’t mind having a gap where the missing tooth is, you may decide to get an implant to keep the rest of your teeth from shifting out of position.

Aesthetics – An implant can be made to look like a natural tooth. You won’t have to be afraid to smile in front of the camera with an implant.

When to Get a Veneer

A chipped tooth – Covering a chipped tooth with a veneer will hide the damaged tooth and restore a natural look while also protecting the tooth from further damage.

Discolored teeth – While whitening is a much less expensive process, some choose to get veneers on all of their teeth to cover stains and have their entire mouth be a bright white.

Worn teeth – As we age, plaque wears more and more of the enamel away from our teeth. To protect worn teeth from further damage, a veneer can be used.

Which Lasts Longer?

Since the two types of dental work are used for different reasons, it’s not really fair to compare them. However, while implants can last up to 25 years with proper care, veneers usually last closer to 10. Just remember that when a tooth is damaged, veneers allow you to keep your original tooth longer while implants require the real tooth to be extracted.

For more information about which is right for you, contact your dentist to schedule an appointment today! A new smile awaits.

The post Implants vs. Veneers: What You Need to Know appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Glancing at the photo to the left, what is the first thing you notice? Is it the sound structure of the walkway, or the fact that there are no missing bricks? It is unlikely that this is the case, as even the shortest of glances would immediately draw the eyes to the stark discoloration. You notice that it has been repaired, and that the grout surrounding the repairs is a different color than older, undamaged brickwork. Although the walkway is structurally sound, a first impression is created around the walkway’s less than pleasing aesthetic.

Appearances are extremely powerful. Just as eyes immediately gravitate toward differences among the bricks, the same rings true for our smiles. Now and again we require our teeth to be repaired or replaced due to injury, decay, or infection. When teeth need to be replaced or require new crowns, it is important for the resulting smile to appear as natural as possible. Matching surrounding teeth can be a challenge, and a perfect match is often difficult for even the most seasoned dentist. To ensure the best match possible for the most natural looking aesthetic, it is crucial to place your trust in a dentist with a proven record of excellence.

Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that if complex dental restorations on multiple
teeth are necessary, spreading treatments out over several months or years may not be the best option for your smile. If even the same dentist does the procedures over an extended period of time, matching adjacent teeth may become far more challenging. While you may initially desire to spread the work out for financial reasons, it is important to discuss these challenges with your dentist to ensure the best aesthetic result for your rejuvenated smile. Matching repaired or replaced teeth with the rest of the smile is the key to creating the right first impression.

Before: A dentist attempted to restore the two teeth on her right with porcelain to match the two natural teeth on her left. The color match and the angles of the teeth were less than ideal.

After: Two new porcelain crowns matched the colors and shapes of the natural teeth. The black triangle” between the two front teeth was reduced in size.

The post Aesthetic Challenges to Consider with Smile Rejuvenation appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.