Two dental professionals in blue scrubs and masks attend to a smiling female patient sitting in a dental chair at a clinic.

Can My Dentist Restore My Poor Oral Health?

If your dental health has been on the decline for a while, you’re probably caught in a vicious cycle. The worse it gets, the more you might assume that a dentist in Jacksonville, FL can’t help (or can’t help you enough). Here, we’ll look at what restorative dentistry is and why it’s never too late to schedule an appointment.

What Is Restorative Dentistry?

Restorative dentistry in Jacksonville refers to any service that restores your mouth and oral health. In practice, that could mean anything from a filling to an implant. As you research different options in your area, keep in mind that restorative, cosmetic, and general dentistry have a decent amount of overlap. For example, a filling is typically considered general dentistry, but it also falls under restorative because it restores the strength of a weakened or damaged tooth.

Treating Your Oral Health

Missing teeth, diseased gums, dead teeth: there’s no issue too far gone to bring to a dentist. While you may not be able to save all of your teeth (or, in some cases, any of your teeth), the reality is that you still need to address the issue. Oral healthcare isn’t just important for talking, chewing, and your facial appearance, it’s linked to your physical health as well. For example, a tooth infection can escape your mouth and travel to your heart, causing a fatal reaction.

Before you go another day in discomfort, the team at Dr. Matt Henry are here to help you get a handle on your oral health. Whether you need two appointments or ten, we can walk you through the options, including bridges, dentures, crowns, implants, and more. Contact us today if you’re ready to take the first step.

A 3D illustration of dental implants in a jaw with artificial teeth being placed on top of the implants.

What Is Restorative Dentistry?

If you have teeth that are injured or damaged, your dentist in Jacksonville FL may recommend restorative dentistry procedures. Restorative dentistry can fix your teeth and restore your smile. Restorative dentistry can make a big difference when you have damaged teeth. Whether you’re struggling with a tooth that has a chip, a break, or a tooth that’s missing altogether, we can help. Here’s what you need to know. 

Restorative Dentistry Explained

Restorative dentistry is an important type of dentistry that can fix your broken and damaged teeth. Restorative dentistry isn’t cosmetic, but it can fix cosmetic problems while restoring functionality to your mouth. 

Restorative Dentistry Services

Below are some of the restorative dentistry procedures that we provide. 

Dental Implants

If you’re missing a permanent tooth, a dental implant can fill the gap that’s left behind. Dental implants can stop teeth from shifting when there’s a space in your mouth, while also improving the experience of eating and talking. 

Fillings

A dental filling is a procedure your dentist may recommend if you have a cavity. Dental fillings are designed to fill the hole and make your tooth whole again. Dental fillings can be silver or tooth-colored, depending on the material your dentist uses. 

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a cap your dentist places over an injured tooth. Dental crowns can reinforce your tooth’s structure, strengthening the enamel and preventing it from breaking. 

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is an artificial tooth. Dental bridges stay in place using crowns that attach to the other nearby teeth. 

Dentures

Dentures are artificial teeth your dentist has custom-made to fit in your mouth. 

Are you missing teeth? Do you have damaged teeth? Sounds like you need restorative dentistry in Jacksonville FL. Call today to make an appointment.  

Woman with short hair wearing a gray tank top smiles and points to her teeth with both index fingers against a plain white background.

Is Restorative Dentistry Necessary?

Restorative dentistry is a term you may not have often heard in the dental industry. Below, we’ll look at what it is, why you might need it, and how you can expect it to affect your treatment plan.

Do I Need Restorative Dentistry?

Restorative dentistry is a catch-all term in dentistry, and it refers to any treatment that can make your mouth whole again. This may mean anything from dental implants to tooth fillings. If you’ve suffered any type of oral decay, whether it’s a tiny hole in a tooth or a full tooth extraction, a restorative dentist in Jacksonville, FL can help you put it back together again.

Restorative dentistry isn’t just a way to give you back a full, attractive smile. It’s a way to preserve your oral health, making it easier to care for your teeth and prevent them from further damage. Whether a dentist in Jacksonville recommends a crown, bridge, root canal, dental implant, or dentures, you can expect restorative dentistry to protect you in the long run.

Dentists in Jacksonville

We don’t always think about how oral health ties to regular health, but it’s important not to forget the connection. The more you let tooth decay or gum disease continue, the more likely you are to experience infections or major tooth loss, which can impact more than just your facial shape.

Restorative dentistry is more than just a fancy term; it’s a critical way to preserve your teeth, gums, and jaw. If you’re for a staff with enough experience to map out the best treatment plan for you, contact the office of Dr. Matt Henry. We’re here to help you find the least invasive plan that benefits your smile the most.

A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a blue denim shirt over a black-and-white striped top, smiles at the camera against a plain light background.

4 Restorative Dentistry Procedures to Help You

When your teeth are damaged or injured, restoration dentistry procedures can help bring your teeth back to a functional and aesthetically pleasing condition. Your dentist in Jacksonville, FL can help. At Dr. Matt Henry’s office, we offer a range of restoration dentistry procedures. We’ll help you decide which restoration procedure is best for your circumstances.

1. Fillings

A cavity is a hole in the tooth enamel made by dental decay. A dental filling is like a patch that the dentist uses to fill a cavity. Fillings come in composite material or amalgam.

Composite fillings are made from tooth-colored material, while amalgam fillings are made from silver material. Composite fillings are less durable and don’t last as long as amalgam. However, many patients prefer composite material for fillings near the front of the mouth.

2. Implants

An implant is a prosthetic tooth installed to fill the hole left behind when a permanent tooth is knocked out. Implants are surgically installed in the jaw, so they function a lot like natural teeth. If you’re missing a tooth, an implant makes it possible to chew and talk like you did before your tooth was knocked out.

3. Crowns

A dental crown is a cap that fits over a damaged tooth. Crowns can cover cosmetic damage as well as damage to the enamel. This makes a dental crown a great solution for some patients with broken teeth.

4. Bridges

A dental bridge is an alternative to a dental implant. A dental bridge is a prosthetic tooth that uses crowns to attach to adjacent teeth and hold the bridge in place.

Are you missing a tooth? Do you have a broken tooth? If so, you may need restorative dentistry in Jacksonville, FL. Call Dr. Matt Henry today to make an appointment.