Restorative dental care is a sub-category of dentistry that focuses on restoring or replacing damaged or missing teeth. While it can refer to repairing a severely damaged tooth with root canal therapy, a filling or crown, in many cases, restorative dental services replace teeth that have already been lost or removed. Restorative dentistry to replace missing teeth can include dental implants, dentures or dental bridges, all options to restore your complete smile. There are important reasons to consider restorative dental care if you have missing teeth, including these four objectives.
- Function. Your teeth help you chew, speak and maintain bone density in your jaw. When one or more teeth are missing, you may not be able to effectively chew certain foods to get the highest nutritional value for your health. You may also have speech problems or bone loss in your jaw. A function is one of the main objectives of restorative dental care.
- Reducing additional dental problems. Even one missing tooth can cause additional oral health issues. Once a tooth is missing, the teeth close to the open gap can shift. This not only changes the look of your smile, it can make it more difficult to maintain good oral health. Food and bacteria can hide in crevices created by crooked or shifted teeth, leading to more decay and possible gum disease.
- Facial appearance. When you lose teeth, it not only affects the way your smile appears; it can change your facial appearance. Your teeth and jaw bone provide support for your facial muscles. Once teeth are lost, the facial muscles can sag or appear shrunken. This can make you look older, especially when several or more teeth are gone. Dental restorations give your facial muscles the support they need for a more youthful appearance.
- Complete, confident smile. Your smile is an important part of your appearance. When you lose one or more teeth, you may feel embarrassed to smile or be as social as you once were. There are many functional and health reasons to replace missing teeth, but your self-confidence and quality of life are just as important. Restorative dental care can give you back a complete, confident smile that can have a positive impact on your mental and emotional well-being.
Enjoy a Complete Smile with Restorative Dental Care
You deserve to have a full, complete smile, and restorative dentistry can provide that for you. Whether you lost teeth to trauma, decay, gum disease, or other factors, there are options available to give you a complete smile. Dental implants are a preferred method, replacing missing teeth with a permanent, surgically-placed artificial tooth. Other options include complete or partial dentures, both affordable choices. Fixed dental bridges can also be a solution for those with just one or a few missing teeth.
At Mission Bend Family Dentistry, we are happy to offer restorative dental care for our patients. Whether you need a damaged or infected tooth saved with a root canal or have missing teeth that need replacement, we can help you find the right solution to ensure you keep a complete, healthy smile. Call us today to learn more about our restorative dentistry services and to schedule your next visit.