How Restorative Dentistry Has Changed Over Time

In the past, your options for restoring your smile were quite limited. Tooth-supported bridges and dentures were a breakthrough for filling in gaps and replacing missing teeth, but they cause plenty of issues of their own. Today's restorative methods have as little impact as possible on the rest of your oral health. In fact, treatments like dental implants and implant-supported dentures can actually improve your jaw bone density and improve your overall health. Learn why today's restorative dentistry is very different from what you might remember when your grandparents lost their teeth due to age.

What is Restorative Dentistry?

As the name suggests, restorative dentistry is all about restoring your smile to its original glory. While much of this restorative work is designed to tackle cosmetic issues, it's also often needed to improve your chewing and speaking capacities. Any work that intends to improve a damaged smile is restorative. It can range from simple processes like tooth whitening and bonding to more intensive surgical interventions like bone grafting. That's why it's so essential to visit a prosthodontist in Columbus for this kind of care rather than a general dentist.

Developments in Bone Grafting

Bone grafting has hundreds of years of history, but it has really refined as a restoration technique in the last three decades in particular. Today's jaw grafts heal faster and experience fewer issues than those attempted in the past thanks to better preparation and bonding techniques. You also have more options for gum grafting as new soft tissue transfer methods come into use. While no one wants to undergo surgery as part of their dental restoration process, keep in mind that today's grafting surgeries are better than ever.

New and Better Dental Implants

Dental implants are rapidly replacing bridges as the primary way of filling in a gap of one, two, or three teeth. Oral implantology was only just emerging in the 1980s and 1990s, but today it's a full-fledged practice with millions of happy patients living with dental implants. A titanium post is inserted through the gum tissue and directly into the jaw. This mimics the root of a natural tooth. Unlike a partial denture, this implant won't move around or cause you issues when chewing. Early dental implants suffered from strength and acceptance issues, but today's implants have a much lower rate of complications. The majority of patients today can undergo dental implant treatment even if they have a loss of bone and gum tissue due to the grafting advancements.

All-on-X Technology

For full mouth restoration when all or almost all of your teeth are missing, dentures are the obvious choice. But what if you could have dentures that didn't require messy adhesives or slip when you're chewing? Now you can thanks to All-on-X dental implant technology. A number of implants, often four or six, are installed in the upper and lower gums. You receive a set of dentures that securely snap onto these posts, giving you the grip and security you need to rely on your dentures. There are far fewer issues with sore spots and discomfort, but you can still remove the dentures for easy cleaning at night.

Digital Scanning and Modeling

No matter what kind of dental restoration you need, dental scanning and modeling speed up the process. They also make it far more comfortable because 3D modeling largely removes the need for gel and paste impressions of your teeth. Holding trays full of these compounds in your mouth is often uncomfortable and is enough to make you avoid needed dental treatment. Digital scanning not only captures an accurate impression of your teeth but also provides your dentist with the tools to show you what your smile will look like after restoration.

Training Opportunities

As new technologies have emerged in the world of restoration dentistry, so have the training opportunities for them. Dentists can build their skills in oral implantology and other advanced techniques in more ways than ever before. However, you should still seek out a dentist who has more than just training in prosthodontics. Make sure you choose someone who also has plenty of experience in the field. Positive success stories from former patients will help you know what to expect when you're in the dentist's chair, right down to the level of personal care and concern you can expect.

Choose Oral Implant and Reconstructive Dentistry for your reconstructive dentistry needs. We are specialists in advanced cases of oral health care where multiple treatments are needed to restore your beautiful smile. We'll have you chewing and laughing again after creating a custom restoration plan based on your needs and preferences. Find top-notch prosthodontic care here in the Columbus, Ohio area by scheduling a consultation with us today.