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What Is Restorative Dentistry?


A man wearing a hat standing on the beach.Restorative dentistry has been around for years. It has helped many achieve a brighter and healthier smile. While it has done all this, you may still be asking, “What is restorative dentistry?†We’ve put together some vital information to help you make an informed decision. Keep reading to learn more about restorative dentistry.

What Is Restorative Dentistry?

Restorative dentistry is actually fairly similar to cosmetic dentistry. Both use implants and crowns to restore someone’s smile. However, there is a difference between the two practices. While cosmetic dentistry focuses on reconstructing the teeth for cosmetic purposes, restorative dentistry focuses on the health and function aspects.

Interestingly, the American Dental Association does not acknowledge restorative dentistry as a dental specialty by. As a result, most dentists can perform this type of dentistry without extra certification. Often, cosmetic dentistry is considered more intricate because cosmetic dentists are required to have more training. They must understand everything about the human mouth, including how many teeth should show when someone smiles.

Types of Restorative Dentistry

There are many different types of restorative dentistry that you can get. Some of the most popular procedures are listed below:

  • Crowns- Crowns are custom made caps that fit over the entire tooth. They are made of porcelain or acrylic and help fix decaying, broken, or chipping teeth. Your dentist can also match the color of the crown to the color of your teeth, so it doesn’t stick out and make you uncomfortable.
  • Dental Bridge- A dental bridge helps to conceal a missing tooth or multiple teeth. This process uses crowns made of metal, porcelain, or even a combination of both of them to hold the dental bridge in place.
  • Fillings- Fillings help to hold a decaying tooth together or even to make it stronger. This process uses a very hard plastic that bonds to the tooth.
  • Dentures- Even though many would consider dentures to be cosmetic dentistry, it is also restorative dentistry. Dentures allow for proper chewing, biting, and it even helps to prevent sagging of the face.

For most people, it’s hard to see the difference between restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. Understanding how restorative dentistry works helps you make the best decision for your teeth. While cosmetic and restorative dentistry overlap, they have their differences. Restorative dentistry focuses on the health and function of the teeth through crowns, dental bridges, fillings, and much more. Thankfully, restorative dentistry has done wonders to help thousands of people through the years. While it focuses on the function of the mouth, it also improves the self-esteem of many people by also improving their quality of life. Before starting any procedure relating to restorative dentistry, speak with your dentist to decide what is right for you.