Dentist - Restorative Procedures Used

When you go to see your dentist for an examination he will look over your mouth, teeth and gums and assess the condition of them. He may use some strange looking instruments to examine your mouth. This is all very routine and necessary for your oral health. You are also likely to have radiographs done in his office that will uncover any problems that are not visible to the human eye.

Restorative procedures are an important element of a dentist’s job. Dental fillings are something many people learn about from a young age. Fillings are used to repair a problem that has occurred in a tooth. They are most commonly used to fill in a tooth or a portion of a tooth when a cavity is present. Tooth decay is not the only reason fillings are used however. They are also put in because of an injury or wear and tear.

The patient will be given a needle to freeze the area and then the cavity will be removed and the filling put into its place. This protects the structure of the tooth from future damage. There are different types of materials that are used for fillings. Each one has its advantages as well as its disadvantages. Examples of filler include amalgam, gold, porcelain or composite resin (white filling material).

Bonding is done when a person has a tooth that is chipped or cracked. In this case composite resins are used to glue or attach a material that is enamel-like in substance to the tooth’s surface. It is then formed into the proper shape and if need be, contoured and polished in order that the chip or crack no longer shows.

Dental crowns are used to repair teeth that are either badly decayed or damaged. If the patient does not want to lose the tooth then a dentist can use a crown to save the tooth. Crowns for teeth are generally made of porcelain, gold metals, silver metals or a combination of porcelain and metal. Some dental professionals choose to use CAD/CAM technology to create the dental crowns. There are some instances where dental veneers can be used in place of dental crowns. Veneers tend to be less expensive than crowns and work just as well. The dentist will decide on a case-by-case basis whether a crown or a veneer is appropriate.

The thought of a root canal is not a happy one but sometimes it is the only way to save a tooth from dying. When the pulp tissue of a tooth has become infected root canal therapy is used to remove the offending infection from the inside of the tooth. Once the tooth has been hollowed out and thoroughly cleaned out it is filled with a filling made of an antibacterial substance. The dental practitioner then uses a procedure known as capping. A dental crown is placed over the tooth to protect it from any future damage or decay. Some general dentists perform root canal treatments while others do not. If you need one done and your dental practitioner does not do them then he will refer you to a specialist known as an endodontist.