Restorative Dentistry
"Restorative dentistry” is the term we use to explain how to replace missing or damaged teeth. Fillings, crowns (“caps”), bridges and implants are common restorative options. The goal is to bring back your natural smile and prevent future oral health issues.
Why restorative dentistry procedures are important.
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Filling empty spaces in the mouth helps keep teeth properly aligned.
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Replacing teeth makes it easier to maintain good oral care habits.
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Missing teeth can affect your health, appearance and self-esteem.
Dental Fillings
A dental filling is a type of restoration used to restore the shape, function and structural integrity of a damaged tooth.
Reasons a tooth might be damaged include tooth decay, trauma, fracture or wear.
The filling will also seal the tooth surface, preventing further bacteria from entering and causing additional damage.
In most situations, we will use a tooth coloured filling for you. However, in some situations especially on the back teeth or heavily filled teeth, they may not be best treatment for you. You may even have some fillings in your mouth where food always gets stuck between your teeth. As well as being very annoying and sometimes painful, it's a very unhealthy situation as you are more prone to gum disease as well as recurrent decay. In these situations, a metal filling or a crown may be recommended. This will always be discussed with you prior to placement to get your approval. Remember, the choice is yours!
More information about Fillings
Temporary Fillings
A temporary filling may be used if we need to remove the filling material soon after it was placed.
We might do this:
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when the same tooth needs to be treated a few times over multiple appointments
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when there is not enough time to finish treatment in one dental visit
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during emergency dental treatment
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when covering up a tooth cavity between root canal treatment appointments.
What to expect after a filling
After a tooth has a filling, it can be sensitive to hot and or cold temperatures or when biting down. We call this post-operative sensitivity.
The sensitivity usually goes away after a few days. Sometimes, it can last 1 or 2 weeks.
If the sensitivity does not go away or gets worse, please contact us to arrange for a dentist to assess the tooth.
How long will a filling last?
Fillings do not last forever.
Using your teeth over time can cause the join between the tooth and the filling to open. This can let food and bacteria collect in this space, which may cause tooth decay. The amount of time a filling lasts also depends on how well you look after it.
Fillings can change colour. This means that as a white dental filling gets older, it may no longer match the colour of your tooth. This does not mean the filling needs to be replaced with a new one. The colour may be a concern for some people especially when it affects their front teeth. In this circumstance, we can replace the filling so it matches the colour of your natural tooth again.
Dental Crowns, Bridges & Implants
Crown and Bridge treatments are elective treatments that may be performed to fix damaged teeth but can also be used to change the visual appearance of teeth.
Dental Implants can be a life-long solution to missing teeth. They are comfortably embedded into your gums to give your new teeth strength and durability.
These treatments can be completed by a general dentist or by a dental specialist, known as a prosthodontist or an oral surgeon.
Dental Crowns
CROWNS ARE AN EXCELLENT LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR TEETH THAT ARE BADLY BROKEN OR HEAVILY FILLED.
A dental crown looks like a hollow, tooth-shaped ‘cap’ which is cemented onto an existing natural tooth (or onto a dental implant).
They are specially shaped to encase a tooth and can be made to match the colour of natural teeth. Crowns help restore a tooth’s shape, size and appearance and a patient’s capacity to chew with comfort.
A crown may be recommended to fix a badly broken, cracked or decayed tooth. They are commonly recommended for teeth that have had a root canal treatment, particularly the back premolar and molar teeth as they provide the tooth with added strength, and durability.
Crowns can be made from a number of materials including porcelain, zirconia, gold alloy or a combination of porcelain and metal. The colour of a porcelain or zirconia crown can be matched to the colour of your other teeth.
Treatment steps
Treatment often takes two appointments with your dentist.
In the first appointment the dentist will trim back the tooth to reshape it. This is to make sure there is enough space for a new crown to fit on the tooth.
A copy of your tooth shape is taken to send to a laboratory for a dental technician to create the crown.
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An impression is taken using a jaw-shaped tray filled with a soft, gel-like material that is pushed onto the teeth and held in place for three to five minutes.
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If you are receiving a tooth-coloured crown, your dentist will record the required tooth colour shade and will work with the technician to ensure the colours and any special features match your other teeth as best as possible.
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Before leaving this first appointment, your dentist will put a temporary, plastic crown over the reshaped tooth.
2. On the second visit, the temporary crown is removed from the tooth. The new crown is glued or cemented onto the natural tooth structure.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth. If you have a tooth removed, your dentist may suggest a dental bridge as a replacement option.
Most commonly, this treatment involves placing a crown on the teeth that sit directly in front and behind the gap. These crowns are joined together by another crown that acts as a false tooth.
Treatment steps
Similar to the treatment for a crown, a dental bridge usually takes two appointments, and the steps are very similar. The material of the Bridge is also able to be made from porcelain, zirconia, gold alloy or a combination of porcelain and metal.
At the first appointment, your dentist will reshape the teeth located each side of the gap ready for the bridge to be made at a dental laboratory.
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An impression is taken using a jaw-shaped tray filled with a soft, gel-like material that is pushed onto the teeth and held in place for three to five minutes.
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In between the visits, an acrylic (plastic) bridge will be temporarily glued to the reshaped teeth to protect them.
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If a tooth coloured Bridge is chosen, a record of the required tooth/teeth shade is taken, and your dentist will work with the technician to ensure the colours and any special features match your other teeth as best as possible.
2. At the second visit, the temporary bridge is removed, and the treatment is then completed by gluing or cementing the manufactured bridge onto the reshaped natural teeth.
A bridge is just one option available to replace a missing tooth. Other treatments to replace one or more missing teeth include partial dentures and dental implants. Each treatment has benefits. We will discuss each treatment option with you to find the best suitable treatment for you.
Dental Implant
Dental implants can be a life-long solution to missing teeth. They are comfortably embedded into your gums to give your new teeth strength and durability.
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant can be thought of as an artificial tooth root that looks like a metal screw. The implant is placed into the jawbone where the tooth was originally located. Over time, the jawbone that surrounds the implant grows around it to hold the screw securely in place. This takes approximately three months.
An artificial tooth, known as an implant crown, is attached to the dental implant screw to fill the space in the mouth left by the missing tooth. The implant crown is made to match the surrounding teeth in both shape and colour. This treatment is generally completed three months after the screw has been placed to allow time for healing.
Dental implants are used to replace one or more missing teeth within the mouth.
Implant Bridge
Dental implants can replace more than one tooth at a time. This is done using an implant bridge where two or more implant screws are placed into the bone and are joined together by an artificial bridge made of crowns that are connected side-by-side.
Implant-supported Denture
A full denture, which replaces all the teeth in one jaw, may also be held in place by dental implants. This is procedure is called an
"implant-supported denture".
