restorative dentistry

What is Restorative Dentistry?

Colkmire DentistryUncategorized

Have you ever found yourself thinking of the dentist as only someone who helps you to keep your teeth clean and avoid cavities? While it’s true that it’s your dentist’s job to protect your teeth, prolong their life, and keep them from harm, this is only part of the picture. The other part of the picture is restorative dentistry, which is the repair of teeth after they have already been harmed. If you have in your head a picture of restorative dentistry as merely an optional cosmetic procedure or something people only do for vanity, you should think again. So what exactly is restorative dentistry, and might it be something you need? Read more from our dentist in Sarasota to find out.

Restorative Dentistry is about Restoring Teeth

The longer you live, the higher the chances that something will go wrong with one or more of your teeth somewhere along the line. Even when you are ultra-careful about brushing and flossing, eating healthy foods, and avoiding sugar, you can still have an accident that harms your tooth. Here are some of the issues that restorative dentistry can help to fix in your teeth.

Teeth That Are Decayed

It goes without saying that if you experience tooth decay, you’ll lose material from that tooth. Tooth decay, whether it’s a tiny cavity or an entire rotten tooth, warrants a repair job to restore your tooth to a working tooth again. You wouldn’t want to leave your rotten tooth as is, because the decay will continue to eat away at the tooth. You also wouldn’t want to simply remove the tooth, as you’ll have a missing gap in your teeth that will either be noticeable to others (if it’s in the front) or deprive you of a valuable chewing surface (if it’s in the back.) The exact restoration your dentist will do will depend on the severity and extent of the decay.

Teeth That Are Chipped

People of any age can get a chipped tooth, and if you do, you’ll not only have a rough and potentially painful surface in your mouth, you’ll also have an area that doesn’t look quite right. It’s amazing how you’ll notice people’s eyes being drawn to your mouth when you speak if you have a chipped tooth. Restorative dentistry can not only restore the appearance of your tooth, it can also restore your self-confidence when you smile.

Teeth That Are Cracked

A cracked tooth opens you up to the possibility that bacteria and food particles will work their way into the crack, putting you at risk of infection (and that spells toothache and an overall whole-body lack of well-being). It’s important to let your dentist identify and restore any cracked teeth to strengthen the tooth and seal out contaminants.

Teeth That Are Discolored

A tooth can become discolored for a number of reasons. It might be that the front of the tooth is stained and the dentist needs to restore its white appearance. Or it might be that a hard hit to the tooth has killed the nerve that used to connect to the tooth, leaving the tooth with a grayish appearance. Either way, your dentist can restore your discolored tooth to its proper color.

All of these are ways that Dr. Colkmire can go above and beyond just helping you to prevent cavities. If you need a general or cosmetic dentist in Sarasota, book your appointment today at Sarasota Dental Office.