FAQs about restorative dentistry to rescue damaged teeth and rebuild smiles
Restorative dentistry generally refers to rebuilding damaged teeth. While the ideal situation is to prevent the damage from occurring in the first place, our neighbors from across southwest Chicago, Illinois, can trust our full range of dental restorations. At Brighton Park Dental, we restore smiles and overall quality of life.
How do you restore teeth?
Depending on your needs, Drs. Aroon Pal, Nilay Patel, or Taylor Jemilo may recommend cosmetic dental fillings, conservative inlays or onlays/partial crowns, or “full-coverage” dental crowns (on their own or following root canal therapy). We may also rebuild smiles after extractions with dental bridges, dental implants, and dentures.
Why would I need a restoration?
When damage cannot be treated sufficiently with modifications to oral care alone or other routine and preventative services, you may need to build up the damaged or deteriorated tooth structure. For smaller cavities, a dental filling may be applied to replace the lost tooth structure and to restore the strength of the damaged tooth. For bigger cavities or larger areas of damage, a dental inlay may be most appropriate. Inlays are placed on the chewing surfaces between the points or cusps of the teeth. Also known as partial crowns, dental onlays cover the surfaces of the teeth and at least one point or cusp. Lastly, dental crowns are designed to fit on top of a tooth that has been prepared, when all of the damaged or decayed tissue is removed.
Why would I need to replace a tooth?
Root canal therapy is very effective; however, it is not appropriate for all severely damaged teeth. Also, not every tooth will heal properly or fully after treatment. When infections persist, teeth need to be removed or extracted to prevent further oral health and systemic health complications. After all, infections can spread to other parts of the body and require emergency care without treatment. In addition to resolving severe decay/oral infections, a tooth may need to be replaced following a traumatic injury. Not all teeth that are knocked out due to blows to the face during sports or following accidents can be re-implanted successfully. In these and other cases, such as severe fractures/cracks, we want to discuss replacing the tooth as soon as possible.
Why do I need to replace the tooth so quickly?
The loss of a single tooth can have severe consequences for the health of your smile and overall well-being. As teeth are lost, their neighbors may shift out of alignment and toward the empty spaces. The remaining teeth may also bear the brunt of the force from chewing and other functions, which they may not be built to withstand. Ultimately, other teeth may become damaged. Tooth loss is also associated with destructive bone loss. When teeth are not present, the bone in the affected area begins to shrink or resorb. Think of this as similar to how your muscles shrink after periods of inactivity. Your jawbone, too, is “inactive” due to the loss of the stimulation from actions like the back teeth grinding down food into digestible pieces. Bone loss can make functional challenges, such as chewing food, worse, and can also “age” you as the bone that provides structure to your face is lost.
What option might be best?
Restorative dentistry may not be necessary! Brighton Park Dental won’t know that for sure until after one of our dentists takes a look at your troublesome tooth or areas. Once we have evaluated your mouth, we can make recommendations and help you to make the most well-informed decision about your treatment or next steps. Take the first step now by contacting our team at (773) 801-5171 to schedule your appointment in Chicago.
