Practitioners of every type denomination of dentistry share the common goal of keeping your smile healthy. Restorative dentistry, as its name suggests, accomplishes this by focusing on restoring to your smile its function. It does so through a variety of treatments, and to find which best suits your specific needs you have to look no further than Dr. Michael Carlson of Carlson Dental in Escondido, CA.
Fillings
Cavities are formed typically by acids produced by bacteria on your teeth. They create small holes of decay that if untreated can progress until more intrusive methods need to be called upon to save your tooth.
After removing the decay, these are usually filled with a filling material, such as amalgam. For larger cavities, your doctor may employ the use of inlays and onlays. These are also types of dental fillings but because of their size, they need to be made in a lab.
Crowns
The more intrusive method hinted above for saving your tooth may be a root canal. It is a more involved process, but not nearly as scary as you may have been led to believe. It's a procedure that can save your tooth once the decay and infection have progressed past the enamel and down to the pulp. Because so much of your tooth has to be removed, it involves drilling down to the root, a root canal may ultimately require a crown. Although root canals are not the only reason why you may need a crown, a tooth damaged beyond a certain point by any means may require it.
A crown is bonded over your reshaped tooth like a cap, protecting it and giving it the aspect of a natural tooth.
Bridges and Implants
If you've lost a tooth or had to have one extracted, your restorative dentist has a few options of treatment, they can help you figure out which one best fits you.
A dental bridge can be used to correct a gap in your smile. It uses your adjacent teeth as an anchor to hold a crown which will replace your missing tooth.
Dental implants, on the other hand, don't require the reshaping of nearby teeth and can be a more permanent solution, but they are a surgical procedure that requires a longer healing time. They use titanium anchors that are implanted onto the bone of your jaw, and onto these is attached to your new crown.
Restorative Dentistry in Escondido, CA
These are only a few of the treatments available at your Escondido, CA, office. Make an appointment with Dr. Carlson of Carlson Dental to learn just what restorative dentistry can do for your smile. Call today, dial (760) 747-2616.
