Restorative Dentistry

If you're like most of us, you probably take the ability to eat for granted. But when dental problems occur, it can be difficult or impossible to chew and bite food. Dr. Denise Stone and her team from Stone Family Dentistry can help you understand how restorative dentistry not only helps you maintain your ability to chew but can also improve your appearance.

Restorative dentistry procedures restore your smile by repairing or replacing damaged or decayed teeth. Common restorative dentistry services include:

• Fillings: Your dentist removes decayed areas of your teeth and replaces them with durable fillings. Fillings are typically made of silver amalgam or tooth-colored composite resin.
  
  
• Root canals: If tooth decay is severe, the pulp at the center of your tooth can become inflamed or infected. During a root canal, an Endodontist (root canal specialist) removes the pulp, cleans your root canals, and may add tiny posts for stability and places a temporary filling material in the tooth. Then you will return to Stone Family Dentistry for your crown.
  
  
• Crowns: Crowns completely cover a tooth and are used if a tooth is weakened by a crack, fracture, large filling or root canal treatment. They're also used to cover chips and discolorations. Crowns can be made from a variety of materials, but most commonly zirconia.
  
  
• Bridges: Bridges consist of two crowns that anchor one or more false teeth in the middle. They're used to replace missing teeth and are usually made from porcelain or zirconia.
  
  
• Veneers: Veneers are a good choice if you want to cover teeth that are chipped, too short, oddly shaped or discolored, or if you have slight gaps between your teeth. These thin pieces of porcelain are cemented to the fronts of your teeth.
  
  
• Dentures: Dentures offer a good way to improve your ability to bite and chew if you've lost many teeth. They're available in full, partial or dental implant-supported versions.