Cosmetic Dentistry vs. Restorative Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry often go hand in hand. There are times when a bit of work is required to bring the teeth up to their best possible condition before beginning cosmetic work. At Titirangi Dental, we offer many types of dentistry treatments in West Auckland. In this article, we’re taking a look at the differences and types of cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry.
What Is Restorative Dentistry?
Restorative dentistry is an umbrella term for a wide range of procedures that dentists use to keep your mouth functional and healthy. The term mainly refers to the preventative and corrective steps that are necessary to maintain our optimum oral health.
Restorative dentistry can fix a wide range of problems, such as missing teeth, broken teeth, cavities and tooth decay. Fixing these issues is important to prevent them from leading to much more serious problems.
Some procedures in restorative dentistry include:
- Dental implants – this is used to replace missing teeth in a permanent and highly effective manner
- Fillings – when a tooth is decayed, that needs to be cleaned out and filled with a special substance to prevent further infection
- Dentures – used to replace missing teeth, dentures are an effective and fast treatment option
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?
The main difference between restorative and cosmetic dentistry is that cosmetic procedures are mainly focused on improving the aesthetic value of your smile. Cosmetic procedures can also help to improve the functionality of your mouth and prevent problems like stained or chipped teeth from getting worse.
Some popular cosmetic dentistry procedures include:
- Teeth whitening – this involves bleaching the teeth to get rid of discolouration and stains on the enamel of the tooth
- Dental veneers – these are porcelain shells that cover the front of the tooth to fix its shape, size or colour
- Dental crowns – crowns are used to create a protective shell for broken, weak or decayed teeth
Using Restorative Dentistry with Cosmetic Dentistry
Many dental professionals will use restorative dentistry to fix major issues inside the mouth, such as a broken or missing tooth. After this, your dentist may recommend cosmetic procedures to improve the appearance of your smile as a whole.
The terms “restorative” and “cosmetic” dentistry are umbrella terms that cover almost every dental procedure available today. Depending on the outcome you’re looking for, your dentist will be able to suggest a treatment option. Restorative dentistry tends to be better covered by health insurance than cosmetic dentistry.
Speak to Titirangi Dental to Find Your Perfect Treatment
Make an appointment with the team at Titirangi Dental to solve any oral health issuing you’re currently suffering from. We offer the highest quality restorative and cosmetic dentistry techniques in West Auckland. Call us on 09 817 6057 or contact us online.
