Your Restorative Dentistry Options

If your smile has experienced any type of decay, trauma, or disease, rehabilitating your smile is important. Restorative dentistry provides you with several options to restore the function and appearance of your smile.

Although your dentist in Asheville will do their best to protect your natural teeth, restorative dentistry also involves using tooth replacements when necessary to help get your beautiful smile back.

What are your options when the appearance and health of your smile have been compromised? The following are your restorative dentistry options to help you be proud of your smile again.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are used for a variety of different applications in dentistry. The crown is a porcelain replica of your natural tooth but goes over your tooth to protect it, strengthen it, and restore functionality. Dental crowns are used in such instances as:

• You have a cavity that’s too large to be filled
• Your tooth has extensive damage, such a deep crack or cavity in your tooth
• To cap the end of a dental implant
• To cover a single tooth that is discolored
• For teeth that have undergone root canal therapy

Your dental crown will match your other teeth, resist further damage, and provide you with a functional smile again. Your dental crown is definitively adhered to your natural tooth, but may need to be replaced approximately every five to fifteen years.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges typically consist of dental crowns to fill in the gap of a missing tooth or several teeth in a row.

In order to qualify for a dental bridge, you must have at least two healthy and strong teeth on either side of the gap. This is because the healthy teeth will work as anchors to support the bridge, so these teeth will be fortified with dental crowns to effectively support the restorative piece.

Your dental bridge will be definitively fixed into place, but like dental crowns, it may need to be replaced approximately every five to fifteen years. You and your dentist can discuss if a dental bridge is the right choice to close the gap in your smile from your missing teeth.

Fillings

If your tooth is experiencing a small to moderate amount of decay, you’ll need a filling to restore your tooth. Today, non-mercury fillings such as composite resin are common, and your dentist in Asheville will remove the decay and seal your tooth to stop further damage.

If your cavity is too large to be filled or is so large it has cracked your tooth, you may need a dental crown to cap the tooth and prevent bacteria from harming your tooth’s pulpal tissue. Dental fillings don’t last forever, so getting regular checkups to be sure your fillings are in good shape and to replace or repair them as needed is essential.

Dental Implants

One of the strongest and most resilient forms of restorative dentistry, dental implants allow you to enjoy full functionality of your smile. A dental implant is a titanium post that is surgically place in your jawbone. Once the implant has healed, a dental crown will be fixed onto the top.

Although the crown on the top of your implant will need to be replaced every so often, your actual dental implant should never need to be removed or replaced. Dental implants offer you the benefits of:

• Being sturdy and functional, just like your natural teeth
• Stimulating jawbone for a more youthful facial appearance and stronger jawbone
• Durability to allow you to speak and chew like you normally would
• Not needing replacement, therefore helping you better control your restorative dentistry costs over the years

In order to qualify for dental implants, you’ll need to have enough bone in your jaw to support the actual implant. Your Asheville dentist can help you determine if you qualify for these tooth replacements!

Dental Veneers

If your smile has more widespread issues than just a single discolored tooth, you may want to consider dental veneers. These thin shells are made of porcelain and are similar in constitution to a dental crown except they are made to only cover the front of a tooth.

Dental veneers can solve many issues with your smile, making them a versatile application for people with all kinds of complaints, including:

• Deep stains that won’t go away with a professional teeth whitening
• Extensive cracks or chips throughout your smile
• Teeth that have been worn down from teeth grinding
• Oddly shaped teeth or pointy teeth

Instead of capping all your teeth with dental crowns, dental veneers allow you to transform your smile with less natural tooth removal .  Veneers are considered to be an irreversible form of treatment, so talk with your Asheville dentist about whether or not veneers are right for you.

Tooth Bonding

In the event that your tooth has broken off due to an accident or has a chip or a crack in it, tooth bonding may be able to help. Tooth bonding uses composite resin the same material used in many fillings today to mend your teeth.

Tooth bonding can even be used for gaps in the smile under certain circumstances. Tooth bonding is used for many different issues with your smile and is designed to match your teeth perfectly, making your dental fix invisible!

Dentures

If you’re missing all of your natural teeth, you may qualify for dentures. Dentures are fully removable and should be removed to clean every day. If you’re missing a few teeth, you may be able to receive a partial denture, which is removable just like a full set of dentures. Although not quite as sturdy as dental implants, dentures provide you with the ability to chew and speak when your natural teeth are absent.

Let’s Consider Your Options

No matter what’s preventing you from having the smile of your dreams, restoration dentistry can help. Your Asheville dental practice can talk with you about all your options to determine your best choice for restorative dentistry. Make an appointment with Saunders DDS today to learn what restorative dentistry can do for your smile!

Call us today at (828) 277-6060 to learn more about our restorative dental procedures and schedule a routine exam.