With good oral hygiene habits, you can prevent common causes of dental damage such as cavities. Even with appropriate precautions, however, problems can arise. Maybe you had a traumatic accident and a tooth was knocked loose, or perhaps a cavity went unchecked, resulting in advanced decay. Restorative dentistry repairs your smile, returning its original function and aesthetic appearance. Find out when you might need such procedures.

3 Common Reasons for Restorative Dental Work

1. Missing Adult Teeth

Any adult tooth loss should be promptly addressed. Allowing a gap to remain encourages other teeth to shift out of place, causing potential misalignment in your smile. Without a tooth, your jawbone—which normally has regular pressure enacted on it from chewing—may deteriorate, leading to further tooth loss. A dental implant is a common restorative dentistry solution, anchoring a crown to your jawbone using a tiny titanium post. Dentures are another option.

2. Cavities

Cavities occur when plaque in your mouth slowly dissolves the enamel—a protective coating on your teeth—leaving behind holes. Left untreated, these can expand to the extent that they cause tooth loss. A filling is an easy restorative dentistry solution. The dentist removes the decayed portion with a drill and then fills the hole with a material such as silver alloy, porcelain, gold, or composite resin.

3. Crowns

A dental crown is like a small tooth-shaped cap, placed over a damaged tooth to restore its original size, shape, and appearance. Your dentist could recommend a crown if you have a badly cracked tooth, for example, or to address the aftermath of significant decay. Porcelain and ceramic crowns, which can be matched to the color of your natural teeth, are the most popular options.

Don’t settle for anything less than a beautiful smile. Daniel M Hamrick DDS of Rowan County, NC, provides top-quality restorative dentistry procedures backed by over 30 years of experience. He and his team get to know each patient thoroughly, which allows him to provide personalized treatment plans. Get a full overview of their services online. For an appointment in China Grove, call (704) 857-7497.