Restorative Dentist in Point Loma

What Is Restorative Dentistry?

Restorative dentistry is a field of dentistry that is concerned with restoring dental health and repairing damaged or missing teeth and gums. This includes treating cavities, diseased tooth pulp, replacing teeth with restorations such as dental implants or dentures, and protecting vulnerable and damaged teeth with dental crowns. 

The goal of restorative dental procedures is to preserve the health of the teeth and gums, salvage your teeth, and prevent them from needing to be extracted. It combines different specialties such as endodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery, and periodontics.

If you need a restorative dental procedure, contact us at Harbor Family Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ryan Wallrich.

Dental Fillings

If you have a cavity (a hole in your tooth enamel) or have damaged your tooth due to dental trauma, you will need to have it filled. Fillings are highly effective treatments for early-stage decay and restore the strength, durability, structure, and function of your tooth.

Silver Amalgam Fillings - These are metal fillings that are highly durable and last for up to 12 years. These fillings are ideal for the rear molars which must withstand the force of chewing, as composite resin fillings are more prone to chipping and cracking. Metal amalgam fillings are also silver in color so they are best fit for teeth that are not visible when you smile.

Composite Resin Fillings - Composite resin can be used to match the exact shade of your natural teeth. These fillings blend in seamlessly with the surrounding teeth, making them ideal for the front teeth that show when you smile. 

They are not as durable as metal amalgam fillings and will need to be replaced sooner (7-10 years) so they are less suitable for teeth that are used for chewing. If you grind your teeth, these fillings will also become worn down sooner than metal fillings. Some patients feel more comfortable getting composite resin fillings because they do not contain mercury.

Root Canal Therapy

A root canal is a treatment used to repair damaged or infected dental pulp. Your tooth has a soft inside layer known as the pulp, which contains nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels. 

When this pulp becomes damaged due to untreated tooth decay or dental trauma, it can cause a significant amount of pain. Tooth infections cannot be treated with antibiotics alone. The source of the infection needs to be physically removed. 

Root canals alleviate pain and restore tooth health with a 95% success rate. The tooth’s pulp will be removed and we will disinfect and shape the tooth’s canals before filling the tooth back up. The treatment is usually completed by placing a dental crown over the tooth for extra protection.

Dental Crowns

Lab Made - Dental crowns are sturdy and durable protective caps placed over all surfaces of a tooth. They can be used to restore a damaged, cracked, discolored, or vulnerable tooth. Lab-made crowns are created in an outside dental lab. We take impressions of your teeth and send them to a lab that fabricates a dental crown that perfectly fits over your tooth. Within a few weeks, we’ll have a fitting and cement it onto your tooth. These crowns can be made out of extremely durable and long-lasting materials such as metals, zirconia, and porcelain fused to metal.

CEREC Crowns - At Harbor Family Dental, we use digital scanners and CEREC technology to construct same-day dental crowns. For eligible patients, we can take digital scans of your teeth to produce a 3D image of your mouth. 

A ceramic milling machine is then used to create your crowns in the same appointment and cement them onto your tooth. This eliminates the weeks-long waiting time involved with lab-made crowns. 

However, same-day crowns are only available in ceramic materials so if you have a tooth with severe damage in a chewing tooth like the rear molar, this may not be the best option for you.

Dentures

Dentures are removable artificial teeth used to replace missing teeth in the mouth. Patients can opt for partial dentures to replace a few missing teeth or full dentures to replace one or both arches of teeth.

Partial dentures clip onto the back of abutment teeth via metal clasps and full dentures are held in by suction or an adhesive. Full dentures are only recommended for patients who are missing most of their teeth already as they require the extraction of the patient’s remaining teeth.

Dentures restore the structure, appearance, and function of the teeth as well as offering facial support, and can help prevent surrounding teeth from shifting.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are unique because they are the only tooth replacement that preserves the jaw bone and prevents further bone loss. A titanium screw is implanted into the jaw bone and will osseointegrate (fuse with the jaw bone) over 3-6 months. 

After osseointegration, we will reopen the gums to attach an abutment. After you’ve healed from this second surgery, we can place a dental crown that will act just like a natural tooth. The implant stabilizes the dental crown and also mimics the function of the natural tooth’s root. When you chew, your jaw bone becomes stimulated and this prevents bone loss.

What Happens If I Don’t Get Restorative Treatment?

Failing to get restorative treatment when you need it will only make the situation worse. Decay will penetrate further into the tooth, creating a tooth infection. Dental trauma can leave a damaged tooth vulnerable to cracking or breaking if it isn’t protected. 

When severe decay or damage is left untreated, you will be left with no other option than to have the tooth removed. However, this comes with its own set of problems. Extracting a tooth will cause irreversible bone loss unless you replace a tooth with a dental implant, which is much more expensive than a root canal or dental crown. 

If you don’t replace the tooth, your teeth will shift in your mouth. Bone loss causes changes to your bite and facial structure, leading to premature aging. If your dentist suggests that you need a restorative procedure such as a root canal to treat a tooth infection, a dental crown to prevent further damage, or a tooth restoration to replace missing teeth, you should take it seriously. 

We have your best interest in mind when it comes to your oral health and oftentimes undergoing restorative work saves you a lot of time and money in the long run. We don’t recommend unnecessarily extracting a tooth that can be restored with minimally invasive treatment. This increases your risk for future tooth loss and you will need to have the tooth replaced.

Do Restorative Treatments Hurt?

No matter what restorative treatment it is, we will always make you comfortable by first administering a local anesthetic to numb your mouth. This relieves any pain you would have felt from the procedure. 

While you may feel a slight amount of pressure or movement, you won’t feel discomfort. You can take anti-inflammatory pain medication as necessary post-treatment to treat any lingering tenderness or pain that pops up once the anesthetic wears off. This is typically very mild, if it occurs at all, and subsides within a few days.

Are Restorative Treatments Covered By Insurance?

This depends on the specific type of insurance you have, what treatment you are getting, and the purpose of the treatment. Restorative treatments can be thought of as split into basic and major dental work. Basic restorative work would be fillings and root canals. 

These are more likely to be covered at a higher percentage. Major restorative work like dental crowns, bridges, and dentures are likely covered to a lesser extent. Many insurance policies will also take into account your reasoning for getting the treatment - is it purely cosmetic or is it medically necessary? 

Purely cosmetic restorations are rarely covered by insurance. The best way to find out what your insurance will cover is to give them a call and ask them what they cover and if there are any restrictions.