Restorative dentistry is a combination of treatments that restore or replace missing or severely damaged teeth. This includes everything from a minor filling to more complex oral surgery procedures that require anesthesia. Some of them are directly performed, such as filling a cavity, and some of them are more indirect such as replacing a tooth in the form of a customized crown.
Preventive dental services include your routine examinations, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and tooth sealants – basically simple procedures that help prevent long term damage. Major dental services include complex procedures such as bridgework, dental implants, and dentures that often require the involvement of a dental laboratory.
The following procedures are considered basic restorative dental work.
• Fillings
A dental filling is a simple dental restoration procedure performed at your dental clinic in Calgary during the initial stages of dental decay or damage. The decayed part of the tooth is removed by the dentist, then “filled” with a tooth-coloured material. A local anesthetic may be administered for the process to minimize patient discomfort. The filling is inserted and molded into the tooth in a few layers to achieve better precision.
• Dental Bridges and Crowns
Dental bridges and crowns are perhaps the most commonly performed basic dental restorations near you. Bridges are a highly effective method to close the gaps in your mouth due to missing teeth. It is a custom made false tooth secured in the place of the missing tooth with the help of adjacent teeth. They are mostly made of porcelain, but there are more expensive options according to the preference of the patient.
• Scaling and Root Planing
There can be damaging deposits of plaque and tartar below the gum line, especially for patients who smoke or are not on top of their daily oral hygiene. Scaling and planning is a professional deep cleaning of teeth and gums. You can receive the procedure at any dental clinic near you that provides dental restorations in Calgary. Scaling involves removing the plaque that is deposited below the gum, and root planning helps smooth the root of the tooth, helping the gum to attach back to the tooth.
• Root Canal Treatment
Obtaining root canal treatment can be a basic or major restorative procedure depending on the patient. For most people, it is a relatively minor surgery with very little downtime after the procedure. It helps keep one’s physical tooth intact by removing the infected pulp. However, if the person has a sensitivity to local anesthetics or the structure of their infected tooth is complex, this procedure can turn into major dental restorative work.
• Tooth Extractions
Extracting or removing a tooth is another basic restorative dental procedure that is quite common. While there are alternatives to extracting teeth such as root canal therapy, sometimes tooth removal is necessary for complex situations. Reasons for tooth extractions can be badly decayed teeth, dental trauma, and conditions such as a crowded mouth or gum disease.
After you schedule an appointment at a dental clinic near you, the condition of your tooth will be evaluated. Once the decision is made and agreed upon to extract the tooth, your dentist will administer a local anesthetic to ease pain and discomfort. The duration of the overall extraction procedure depends on the condition of the tooth. A “hard to extract tooth” may have to be removed in several pieces which may require more time. To speed up your healing process, your dentist will prescribe pain medication and antibiotics after the procedure. It may take up to ten days to fully heal after tooth extraction.