Restore Your Smile with Dental Restoration
individuals with damaged or decayed teeth can benefit greatly from dental restoration. These treatments are designed to repair, restore, and rebuild your smile, with various methods available to address different levels of dental trauma.
At The Smile Center, we offer dental restoration services to residents of Chicago Heights and the surrounding areas. Our dedicated team is here to restore and protect your smile. Call us today at 708-686-2130 to schedule an appointment or to learn more about the services we provide.
Understanding Dental Restoration
Dental restoration focuses on restoring the functionality of the mouth and teeth. It encompasses various procedures designed to repair damaged or missing tooth structure caused by poor oral hygiene, infections, or trauma to the teeth or gums. There are two main types of dental restorations: direct and indirect.
In addition to restoring the mouth to a functional state, dental restoration aims to preserve as much of the patient's natural tooth structure as possible. Missing tooth structure may result from decay, chips, fractures, or the deterioration of an existing restoration. Dental restorations can effectively address these issues and enhance your oral health.
Direct Dental Restoration
A direct dental restoration is performed entirely within the mouth. During this process, we replace small amounts of damaged tooth structure with a filling. Once the filling is in place, our dentist uses ultraviolet light to harden the material, creating a permanent seal that restores tooth functionality and helps prevent reinfection or further damage.
There are several filling options available, including:
- Amalgam: Made from a mixture of mercury, tin, copper, and silver, amalgam fillings are highly durable but do not match the color of surrounding teeth.
- Cast Gold: These fillings are strong and can last over 15 years, but they tend to be more expensive than other materials.
- Ceramic: Typically made of porcelain, ceramic fillings are more resistant to staining compared to composite fillings.
- Composite: These tooth-colored fillings offer durability and strength for small to mid-size cavities, making them a natural-looking option.
- Glass Ionomer: Composed of silicate glass powder, glass ionomer fillings are often used for temporary fillings, decay near gum lines, or in baby teeth.
Each option has its advantages, allowing us to choose the best solution for your specific dental needs.
Indirect Dental Restoration
Indirect dental restorations are created outside of the mouth and then placed at the treatment site. These customized tooth replacements include:
- Bridges: Bridges fill gaps left by one or more missing teeth, mimicking the appearance, shape, and function of natural teeth.
- Crowns: A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that restores a tooth’s shape, size, strength, and appearance.
- Implants: Dental implants serve as artificial tooth roots that support replacement teeth, allowing them to look, feel, and function like natural teeth.
- Inlays: Inlays fit into the cusps of a tooth to replace minor structure loss caused by decay.
- Onlays: Also known as partial crowns, onlays are more extensive than inlays and cover one or more cusps to address more significant tooth decay.
- Veneers: Veneers are thin coverings applied to the front surface of teeth to restore their appearance, making them ideal for addressing stains, chips, or wear.
When a Dental Restoration Is Necessary
Dental restoration is essential for addressing weakened teeth due to severe decay or damage and helps prevent further complications. Direct dental restorations, or fillings, are crucial for halting the decay process while preserving the natural tooth structure. Fillings can also restore fractured or broken teeth, as well as those worn down from habits like nail-biting or tooth grinding.
When fillings are insufficient to restore functionality, indirect dental restorations become necessary. Crowns are an excellent option for stabilizing unstable teeth, while bridges can replace multiple damaged teeth, restoring proper chewing function. Additionally, dental implants serve to replace missing teeth, preventing issues like jawbone erosion and impaired chewing.
