Repairing and restoring the mouth and its’ teeth to its functional state is known as restorative dentistry. Teeth can experience structural loss or need to be removed due to decay, deterioration of a previous restoration, or a fraction in the tooth.

These can occur from both cavutues and external trauma. Dental restoration involves the multiple ways dentists can replace a whole tooth or repair a missing part.

Restorative Dentistry includes the following:

• Fillings are the most common form of restorative dentistry. Fillings fill in cavities to prevent further tooth decay.
• Crowns are placed on top of the tooth to cover and restore its shape, strength and appearance. Crowns are also used to cover a dental implant are to secure a bridge in place.
• Bridges are false teeth that fill a gap created by one or more missing teeth.
• Implants are used to replace a tooth’s roots. They consist of a small metal post placed into the bone socket of the missing tooth. The implant is then covered with a crown.
• Dentures are replacement teeth that are removable. Complete dentures replace all of the teeth, while partial dentures exist when some natural teeth remain. The dentures can be secured by metal clasps to the natural teeth.
• Veneer is a thin material placed over the tooth, which protects the tooth from damage and is an immediate improvement to the appearance of the tooth. Veneers are useful to repair teeth that are heavily filled, chipped, worn down, or poorly formed. At times veneers are used for Cosmetic Dentistry, but can also be used for restoration.