What is a Dental Restoration

Anyone who has a broken or missing tooth can benefit from dental restoration. Dental restoration fixes or replaces teeth to improve oral health or function. This is a broad dentistry category, from simple restorations such as fillings to more extensive restorations such as dental implants or dentures. Some restorations offer cosmetic benefits; however, their main purpose is improving oral health and function.

Types of Dental Restorations

If you have ever had a cavity filled, you have had a direct dental restoration. These are restorations fabricated entirely inside the patient's mouth. Without the need to send results or measurements to a lab, it is possible to complete the restoration in one visit.

However, most restorations fall into the category of indirect restorations, meaning the dentist cannot fabricate them in the mouth. Instead, a dental technician often crafts these in a lab based on dental impressions and instructions from the dentist. Let us look at the most common dental restorations and how they can repair a smile.

Dental bonding

This is another type of direct restoration in which a composite resin and a curing light correct minor tooth imperfections. Dental bonding can effectively fix chips with mild to moderate chips and cracks.

Bridges

Those missing one are two teeth can benefit from this tooth replacement option. The typical dental bridge is two crowns on either side of a false tooth (also called a pontic). The dentist cements the two crowns over the patient's natural teeth, and the pontic fills in the space left by the missing tooth.

Dental crowns

Teeth that are badly damaged or root canal treated may require a dental crown. This restoration consists of metal, porcelain, composite resin, or a combination of materials. Crowns reinforce badly damaged teeth to maintain their shape and chewing function.

Dental implants

Dental implants are the latest in dental technology for replacing missing teeth. The implants closely resemble natural teeth and are the only tooth replacement option that also replaces the roots of teeth.

Dentures

Traditional dentures are still an excellent way to replace missing teeth. Dentures can be full or partial, depending on the patient's needs. They are dental appliances that need removal for cleaning.

Inlays and onlays

Sometimes, a filling is insufficient to repair a tooth after a cavity, and a crown is too much. Inlays and onlays are indirect restorations fabricated to replace large portions of a tooth lost to decay.

Veneers

A veneer is a porcelain or composite resin shell covering the tooth's front visible part. Though these are largely considered cosmetic, veneers can be used in restorative dentistry to cover the front of teeth with cracks, chips, and other damage.