Maintaining the health of your teeth is essential for a variety of reasons. Not only does it keep your smile looking its best, but it also helps preserve your body’s overall health. One way to maintain the health of your teeth is by choosing restorative dentistry treatments that focus on keeping your natural tooth structure as much as possible. By doing so, you can avoid needing implants, dentures, and other therapies that replace a single tooth, or worse, all of your teeth.
Let’s be honest: we all would prefer to keep as many of the teeth we were born with, but the truth is that they begin to suffer from decay and other problems as early as childhood. The field of restorative dentistry focuses on this goal of natural tooth preservation.
Practicing the advice you’ve heard from your dentist all along is the best way to prevent serious dental problems. These include brushing at least twice per day, flossing regularly, routine dental checkups, and getting your cleanings.
Even more critical is following healthy lifestyle habits such as eating a balanced diet, not smoking, and avoiding or limiting your intake of acidic and sugary beverages. However, even if you do everything right, there’s still a chance that you may develop a cavity or other problem, and unless you’re blessed with exceptionally resilient teeth, most of us will have to visit the dentist at least several times during our lifetime. For this reason, routine dental appointments are necessary so your dentist can diagnose and correct any problems before they become worse.
Restorative dentistry covers a range of therapies, including many of which fall under general dentistry, like dental fillings. On the other hand, what distinguishes conservative restorative dentistry from general dentistry are specialized techniques that are minimally invasive, also known as minimally invasive dentistry (MID). These treatments involve procedures to cure the affected area while minimizing trauma to surrounding tissues and preserving healthy parts of a tooth. In a nutshell, these treatments aim to save the tooth rather than replace it.
Inlays and Onlays treat more extensive cavities that cannot be adequately treated with a filling. An inlay is fitted into the space between the cusps (ridges) on the chewing surface, while an onlay covers one or more cusps. Inlays and onlays can be made from composite, porcelain, resin, and in some cases, gold.
Dental crowns are used to treat a tooth that is severely damaged or decayed. A crown covers the entire tooth to protect it from further damage and to restore its shape, size, and strength. Now it’s important to point out that not all crowns are created equal in terms of material. The least natural materials are made of metals, while the most natural-looking are made of porcelain, ceramic, and other biocompatible materials like zirconia.
While dental problems are only a fact of life, that doesn’t mean you have to suffer through them. With restorative dentistry, we can work to preserve your natural teeth for as long as possible. At Evergreen Dental Care, Alhambra dentist Dr. Richard Chang not only specializes in conservative restorative treatments but also practices holistic dentistry. Combined, you’re guaranteed to be in the hands of a specialist who understands two fields vital to natural tooth healing and preservation.
If you’re experiencing any dental issues, please don’t hesitate to call us and schedule an appointment. We would be more than happy to help restore your smile!
Evergreen Dental Care
937 E Main St
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 285-0285
