Smile confidently with restorative dentistry.

If there’s one thing that everyone loves to show off, it’s their smile—and for good reason. Letting the world see your set of pearly whites not only makes you more approachable, but also helps you to build up confidence within yourself.

Now is a great time to start making moves to improve your smile’s health, function, and appearance. Restorative dentistry is uniquely designed to provide you with all three.

We’re here to help you answer any questions you might have about what this incredible process is and how it can help you get a beautiful smile that will last you a lifetime. Keep reading to find out more!

What is restorative dentistry?

Oftentimes, when you go to the dentist, you get a general cleaning done to your teeth followed up with some tips on how to look after your dental health, and then it’s all wrapped up with a free toothbrush and travel-sized toothpaste. In some cases, however, a bit more is needed to help a patient gain an incredible set of teeth. This is where restorative dentistry comes into play.

If you’re one of the many Americans who have missing teeth, tooth decay, or other dental issues that could cause further oral health complications down the road, having your teeth restored is nothing short of a blessing for your dental health and overall confidence.

Through restorative dentistry, you can improve the look and function of your teeth with procedures such as root canals, bridges, implants, fillings, and a host of other procedures. Here’s a breakdown of what some of these procedures are and how they work.

Cavity Fillings: Making You Whole Again

If there’s anything to know about cavities, it’s that they can make your mouth feel some intense levels of pain. Cavities occur when acidic materials have created a decayed area in your tooth, exposing the root and making it difficult to chew or otherwise move your mouth without it resulting in aches. In other words, cavities are both unsightly and very painful, and getting rid of them should be a priority.

What’s more, cavities don’t just heal on their own after a period of time; in fact, they can continue to get worse and cause some serious damage to your dental structure and your overall oral health. With cavity fillings, you won’t have to worry about this problem any longer.

A cavity filling involves the dentist carefully removing the decayed matter from the damaged tooth, then filling in the hole left behind with amalgam or a composite resin. We prefer to work with composite resin fillings for a variety of reasons. Firstly, composite resin is designed to match the color of your tooth so it’s invisible to others when you smile. Composite fillings also have a great history of durability and longevity, with very little risk of causing further damage to your tooth.

Porcelain Crowns: Fit for Royalty

Sometimes, a simple cleaning isn’t enough to show off the true potential of your teeth. It’s not uncommon for people to have discolored teeth or a tooth that’s fragile from wear and tear or even from repeated dental procedures. The good news is that there is a procedure that can fix this.

Porcelain crowns involve an intricate process of adding a cap or a crown (hence the name) to your tooth to shield it against any harmful effects and rebuild your smile. On the first visit, the doctor will remove a small portion from the front of your tooth to make room for the crown, before they make dental impressions of your tooth so they can properly shape a crown that fits perfectly.

On the second visit, you’ll receive a permanent crown that will be safely cemented into place. Crowns are extremely durable, and with proper care, they can last a lifetime!

Dentures: Not Your Granny’s Tooth Solution

It used to be a running joke that dentures were clunky looking things that would fall out of an elderly person’s mouth as soon as they started talking. That said, today’s dentures are much more refined and you can’t tell them apart from a full set of real teeth—and they might be just what you’ve been looking for.

If you’re missing a number of teeth, dentures can help you regain your beautiful smile. Dr. Sexton can create a set of dentures that fit perfectly in your mouth and work like real teeth. Depending on the number of natural teeth you have left, you could opt for partial dentures instead, but either way, the results will look amazing.

Dental Implants: A Way to Stay Grounded

If you’ve recently lost one of your teeth, dental implants are the perfect way to return your smile to you once more. With a dental implant, your dentist will insert a titanium rod into your jawbone that will act very much like a natural tooth root, which will then be used to support a false tooth called an abutment.

When the procedure is complete, the implant will end up looking and functioning exactly like a real tooth. Dental implants are designed to last, so with proper care, you’ll be smiling for a long time to come.

A dentist for your needs.

Restorative dentistry is not just about filling in gaps in your smile. These important procedures allow you to bite, chew, speak, and function normally and without pain. They also prevent further deterioration of your oral health, which can have a very real effect on your overall health. At Bruce Sexton, DDS,  we’re more than happy to help you with your dental needs.

Our practice is home to qualified and caring dental experts who can help you restore your dental shine. Take a look around our site to learn more about who we are and what we do, or make an appointment whenever you’re ready. We look forward to helping you achieve a winning smile!