Differences Between Restorative Dentistry and Cosmetic Dentistry

Many people have heard about cosmetic dentistry and think it is a perfect way to get a beautiful smile. However, at times before any cosmetic procedures are performed, some dental work is needed to provide a stable foundation. The job of providing a sound foundation is known as restorative dentistry. Haven’t you heard about it? If so, rest your mind at ease because we are breaking down both divisions of the dental profession to provide all information you need and get one step closer to the smile of your dreams.

Explaining Restorative Dentistry

Any procedures performed in your mouth by Central Park Dental Care of Auburn, AL, to keep it healthy and functional is known as restorative dentistry. The methods may include putting in a dental crown, Bridges, or a filling. This variety of dentistry requires no specialization because it merely refers to preventive and corrective steps taken by general dentists to ensure our mouths remain healthy as far as possible. The goal of restorative dentistry is to keep your mouth functioning optimally, and while doing so, also attempting to improve the overall appearance of your smile. This is the difference between cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry, with the former concentrating on aesthetics rather than oral function.

Different Kinds Of Issues Fixed by Restorative Dentistry

There are many things that can go wrong with your mouth, which is why dental professionals work diligently to ensure every issue is dealt with early or prevented. It is why dentists recommend contacting them for six-monthly appointments because they can detect the most common problems like cavities in their most initial stages to provide fillings and prevent further decay.

Restorative dentistry can also fix issues with missing teeth by replacing them with dental implants. It is also beneficial to restore broken teeth with dental crowns or caps to strengthen them.

Explaining Cosmetic Dentistry

Restorative dentistry is primarily concerned with keeping your mouths healthy and functional. Cosmetic dentistry, on the other hand, focuses on improving your smile. While dentists always put the health of your mouth at the forefront, it will be helpful to understand that cosmetic dentistry procedures may not, in reality, improve the functionality of your mouth as much as its appearance.

You can combine cosmetic dentistry procedures such as teeth whitening, dental bonding, gum contouring, veneers, and others to make your smile appear better. However, the methods do not guarantee any improvement in your oral health. They undoubtedly enhance your smile to give you a better appearance, but cosmetic dentistry procedures are put on hold until they are completed if restorations are called for.

For example, if you want to have your teeth whitened with in-office treatments but have a buildup of plaque on your teeth, the dentist must restore your teeth to a healthy state before they can proceed with the teeth whitening treatments. If you are affected by gum disease, you will not be a suitable candidate for veneers until the cause for the gum disease is dealt with by your dentist. Therefore it can be confirmed that cosmetic and restorative dentistry both complement each other even though they differ in their primary practices.

Is It Possible to Use Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry Together?

Many times, restorative dentistry must fix any significant concerns such as missing or broken teeth before cosmetic dental procedures can proceed. Restorative dentistry helps to make your smile look even better when it is combined with cosmetic dentistry. After all, you wouldn’t want to display uneven gums in your mouth after getting veneers, would you? The better option would be to consider gum reshaping before you begin putting the finishing touches on your new smile.

In such cases, you may have to visit multiple dental professionals to achieve the same goal in your mind. Restorative dentistry is practiced by general dentists qualified in a particular division of dentistry. Cosmetic dentists are specialists in their field and concentrate on improving aesthetics while also keeping a watch on your oral health. Both divisions of dentistry are different and should not be confused with each other. Cosmetic dentistry can combine multiple treatments with improving your smile, but restorative dentistry must concentrate on the issue affecting you rather than consider combining various treatments to improve your oral health. They can suggest multiple treatments simultaneously but cannot connect the treatments as it is done by cosmetic dentists.