Have you recently lost a tooth and are looking for a solution? You may currently be dealing with a gap in your smile which may have you feeling self conscious not to mention how uncomfortable it may also be to eat and chew. Luckily, within dentistry, there are dental procedures and treatments available to replace missing teeth.
Restorative Dentistry
A term used to refer to procedures and treatments that replace missing or damaged teeth, restorative dentistry is offered by dental practices with the aim of bringing back a patient’s natural smile whilst also preventing any future oral issues. Dental professionals use their expertise and experience in order to help achieve the best possible long term solutions for patients.
Dental treatments which fall under restorative dentistry
Restorative dentistry includes dentist treatments such as crowns, bridges,fillings and dentures. If an individual is suffering with a broken, damaged or weak tooth, a solution which may be recommended by a dental professional is a crown.
A dental crown is essentially a cap that completely covers a real tooth. Usually made out of metal, a mixture of porcelain and metal or pressed ceramic, a tooth shaped crown is fixed into a patient’s mouth by a dentist. The tooth receiving the crown will be filled down both at the top and the sides in order to make space for the dental crown to be fixed. A dental crown is considered to be a very effective treatment as it is able to support the tooth which has been damaged either due to injury or decay and to avoid the tooth from being damaged further along with improving the appearance of the tooth and are considered to be a good long term option due to its durability. If a patient has more than one tooth that is damaged, another option which may be recommended is a dental bridge.
Dental bridges usually involve two or more crowns which are connected together in order to fill the space of the missing tooth. Also considered to be a suitable and affordable restorative treatment for patients, an advantage of getting a dental bridge is that it helps not only to maintain the long term structure of the mouth but unlike a denture, the dental bridge does not require regular removal and can be cleaned and maintained just like your natural teeth.
Alongside crowns and bridges, another restorative dental treatment used by dentists to replace damaged or missing teeth is dental implants.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are used to replace a tooth or teeth that are missing due to accident, injury or natural causes. Similar to crowns and bridges, it is a long lasting and durable dental treatment however the process is slightly different when compared to the aforementioned.
If you decide to have a dental implant Richmond to replace a single tooth, a implant usually made out of titanium is placed into the jawbone where your gap is and once the implant fully fuses with the jaw bone, a tooth coloured crown will be placed on the implant which matches the shape and colour of your remaining teeth.
