If you have been blessed with perfectly arranged teeth, you are lucky. For many people, a perfect pair of teeth is a dream.
Even so, you can still get to smile with confidence thanks to the numerous restorative dentistry procedures available. Restorative dentistry will cost you some good money, but isn’t it worth it to get the confidence you need for the rest of your life?
Since your teeth are a lifetime investment, you should visit a trusted dentist at St. Matthews dentist for a restorative dentistry procedure.
Below are the five common dental issues that you can treat using restorative dentistry;
1. Missing teeth
Missing teeth can be as a result of many factors. These include accidents that cause dental injuries, gum disease, tooth decay, wear and tear of teeth, or even genetics.
If you have missing teeth, you may be afraid to smile because you want to hide the gaps. While you may choose to remain with your teeth as they are, missing teeth can result in dental complications such as malocclusion, bone resorption, and super eruption.
Malocclusion is a bad bite which is likely when you have missing teeth. The nearby teeth will try to readjust their potion to close the existing gap. You may also suffer from a super eruption, where the teeth opposite your missing teeth grow beyond normal as there is nothing to stop them.
A super eruption is a condition where your gums and jawbone wither because there are no teeth to stimulate them, which creates hollowness on your face. You should, therefore, seek treatment for missing teeth.
Common restorative procedures for missing teeth include dental implants, bridges, and partial dentures.
2. Cracked, chipped, fractured teeth
You can crack your tooth after a fall or when biting something hard. When you have a broken tooth, you should visit a doctor to keep the tooth from getting infected.
You will likely be in pain, so it helps to use some painkillers and avoid hard foods that may destroy the tooth completely. You can repair your tooth through dental filling, dental crowns, veneers or root canal therapy. The treatment you receive will depend on the extent of damage.
If only a small part of the enamel is broken, the dentist will use dental filling or bonding. If a large piece of your tooth has broken off, a procedure such as dental crowning will be more suitable.
3. Decayed teeth
Tooth decay is mainly caused by poor oral hygiene including failure to brush your teeth regularly. To keep your teeth healthy at all times, it is important to schedule regular visits to a dentist who will examine your teeth and detect any issues before they become severe.
Treatment for cavities includes the use of dental fillings, root canals, or crowns. If the tooth has decayed beyond repair, your dentist may remove it, in which case you would need a restorative procedure to replace your missing teeth.
4. Widely spaced teeth
Widely spaced teeth can be a normal part of growth, but can also be caused by injuries, gum disease, among other causes.
Also known as diastema, spaced teeth can make it difficult to chew adequately, causing you to swallow large chunks of food. Also, you will frequently have food stuck between your teeth which can hurt your gums, causing pain and bleeding.
With improper tooth hygiene, wide teeth can lead to tooth decay. Some treatment options to consider include dental bridging, crowns, and dental implants.
5. Overbites and underbites
If your lower teeth extend further outward than your upper front teeth, you have an underbite. An overbite is when the upper teeth extend beyond the lower teeth line.
These bad bites are caused by factors such as thumb sucking, pushing teeth with the tongue, and genetics. If you suffer from a bad bite, you may have a hard time chewing foods, speaking, and also experience pain in your jaw.
One of the ways to treat an underbite is through an upper jaw expander, a wire frame device which the dentist will fit in your palate.
Every night, you will use a special key to expand the device so that the upper jaw widens and stops closing against its outsides. After a year, you will replace the expander with a retainer.
As you have noted, leaving some of these dental issues unattended can result in poor dental health. Restorative dentistry is crucial if you want to maintain healthy teeth for years to come.
