Types Of Dental Restorations
A number of different dental restorations can be used, depending on the patient’s needs. The most common ones are:
Tooth colored fillings
Small amounts of composite resin material are inserted into the space left behind after decayed tooth material is removed.
Dental crowns
Tooth-shaped caps made of metal, ceramics or porcelain fused with metal that are placed on top a biological tooth that has been affected by a large cavity or injury.
Dental bridges
Tooth replacement consisting of a single pontic (prosthetic crown) or multiple pontics held in place by crowns secured to the teeth adjacent to the gap.
Dentures
Prosthetic appliances that can be used to replace a sizable number of missing teeth, up to an entire arch.
Dental implants
Small titanium cylinders that are inserted into a patient’s jaw and become fixtures in the smile as the surrounding bone tissue fuses with them; Can be used to support a single crown, dental bridge or denture.
If you have some remaining biological teeth and some missing teeth that need to be replaced, Dr. Steel may use a combination of these interventions in your case.
Developing A Restorative Dentistry Treatment Plan
The process of restoring your smile begins at your initial consultation. Dr. Steel will examine your smile and discuss your treatment goals with you. She may also need to take x-rays or dental impressions in order to plan effectively for treatment.
After collecting all of the pertinent information about your case, Dr. Steel will decide on the intervention that best meets your needs. She will begin to work on the design of the restoration and determine the timing for each step in the process.
Dr. Steel is conscientious about educating her patients on the entire treatment process so that you will know what to expect. She will be happy to answer any questions you may have about any aspect of the process.