RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
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Oronoco Dental
General Dentistry & Cosmetic Dentistry located in Alexandria, VA
Teeth that are decayed, damaged, or missing can cause several problems for your oral health, not to mention negatively impact the appearance of your smile. If you require restorative dentistry, Dr. Stella Kim at Oronoco Dental in Alexandria, Virginia, can help. Dr. Kim provides fillings, crowns, and bridges to cosmetically and functionally improve smiles.
Restorative Dentistry Q & A
What is restorative dentistry?
Restorative dentistry focuses on restoring teeth that are damaged, missing, or not aesthetically pleasing. Dr. Kim can use restorative procedures to treat a variety of dental concerns, including:
- Cavities caused by tooth decay
- Cracked, chipped, or fractured teeth
- Teeth that are significantly worn down
- Missing teeth
Dr. Kim works to ensure your restoration will be beautiful, functional, and long-lasting.
What is a filling?
Fillings are a restorative procedure for treating cavities caused by tooth decay. Cavities develop when plaque sits on the surface of your tooth for too long. Plaque is full of harmful bacteria that eat away at your tooth enamel, eventually creating a hole.
When you get a filling, Dr. Kim removes all of the decayed material from your tooth, then fills in the resulting hole with a tooth-colored filling material. By sealing the hole in your tooth, your filling effectively prevents decay.
What is a crown?
A crown is a cap that Dr. Kim seals over the top of your tooth, covering the entirety of your tooth above the gumline. They’re designed from an impression of your mouth, so they look, feel, and function just like your natural tooth.
Dr. Kim uses crowns to treat teeth that have a significant amount of structural damage, like a crack or fracture. She might also recommend a crown to strengthen your tooth after a root canal or if you have a tooth with decay that’s too extensive for a filling.
What is a bridge?
A bridge is a set of extended crowns that fill in the empty spaces left by missing teeth. It’s made up of one or more fake teeth, called pontics, attached to crowns on either side of the empty space.
Dr. Kim seals the crowns to the teeth that are adjacent to your missing tooth, leaving the pontic(s) to bridge the gap between those teeth.
Just like with a crown, your bridge is made from an impression of your mouth, so it’s custom-designed to fit your unique smile and blend in with the rest of your natural teeth.
Bridges not only restore the appearance of your smile, but they also keep your remaining teeth from shifting and evenly distribute the force of your bite.
