A dental restoration is any one of a number of procedures that restores a tooth or teeth to their natural shape, size and function. A dentist in Austin TX performs many different dental restorations on a typical day, anything from filling a simple cavity to the complete replacement of a tooth with a dental prosthesis. The two main reasons behind the need for dental restorations of any kind are cavities and mouth trauma. As the various procedures can be grossly different the amount of time to complete them can vary significantly. The patient will be asked to follow a strict self-care regimen after the restoration has been completed otherwise there is a chance of failure.
By far the most common restoration that a dentist in Austin TX undertakes is filling a cavity. The decay is first removed with a drill and other unique tools used in the profession and then filled with an appropriate material. For many years the most frequently used filling material was silver amalgam but as there are current concerns over the mercury content of this material many dentists are switching to alternatives such as gold or silver alloys as well as various composites which match the color of the tooth that was repaired. Color matched filling material is quite popular when the cavity was on a visible tooth.
Another type of dental restoration is a root canal. In this case the dentist in Austin TX removes the entire pulp from the central tooth canal; the result is a large hole which needs to be reinforced. Rather than fill the hole with metal the material choice is gutta-percha, this is a plant material harvested from a tree of the same name. This material closely mimics the properties of the natural tooth pulp; once the core has been packed, the dentist caps off the tooth with the same materials that would be used to fill a traditional cavity.
If a tooth is lost through decay or trauma the dentist in Austin TX may suggest a dental implant as the solution. A dental implant is a titanium implant which acts like a replacement tooth root; this implant is imbedded directly into the patients jawbone. Once the implant has fused with the bone the dentist fits an abutment to the top of the implant and on top of the abutment goes a crown. Once this procedure is completed the looks and feel of the new tooth are identical to the natural tooth it replaces.
Dr. Anne Lyon DDS is a dentist in Austin TX that offers a wide range of dental restorations. Dr. Lyon uses her skill and knowledge to treat patients of all ages with the care they deserve. Click here to learn more.