What is restorative dentistry and how does it help?


Audley Dental Solutions’ Specialist in Prosthodontics, Dr Preeyan Patel, explains more about this field of dentistry and how patients benefit from restorative treatments.

By Dr Preeyan Patel

BDS. MFDS RCSEd. PG Cert Rest Dent. MClinDent Prosthodontics (Dist,). MPros RCSEd


If you have missing or damaged teeth you may be referred to a dental practice that specialises in restorative dentistry. Restorative dentistry is a term used by dental professionals that covers a range of treatments that are used to replace missing or damaged teeth. Fillings, crowns (‘caps’), bridges and implants are all common types of restorative treatment options.

If you’ve been through a course of restorative dentistry treatment you will probably have been treated by more than one dental professional. That’s because restorative dentistry covers a range of specialisms which come together to form a treatment plan to restore or rehabilitate a patient’s oral and dental tissues lost as a result of disease or illness - inherited or acquired. Treatment can include anything from the management of the;

  • replacing missing teeth and associated structures;
  • management of tooth wear;
  • jaw joint and “bite” related problems;
  • rehabilitation of mouths with a failing dentition to
  • improving the aesthetics of a smile.

The patients referred to us for restorative dentistry from across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire often require complicated and multiple treatments in order to restore their teeth to a good functional and aesthetic outcome.

As a Specialist Prosthodontist, I often facilitate the management of my patients’ restorative dentistry plans. These plans often require a range of specialist input.

Types of restorative dentistry treatment options

Some of the most common treatment options patients experience as part of their restorative dentistry plans include:

Fillings

Traditional fillings involve managing a tooth which was affected by dental decay. With the improvement in adhesive techniques the same tooth-coloured restorative materials can be used to make subtle or comprehensive changes to front teeth to improve the appearance of your smile.

Crowns

A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over a tooth. It is used to protect your remaining tooth structure or facilitate improved aesthetics. Your dentist prepares the tooth, takes an impression and the crown is made in a laboratory by our selected highly-skilled dental technicians.

Bridges

A dental bridge bridges the gap where there are missing teeth. A bridge connects to teeth in your mouth and carries an artificial tooth. A bridge can keep your other teeth from moving out of place. Once a bridge is placed, it works just like your natural teeth.

Removable Dentures

The dentures we make at Audley are different to what you may expect. We aim to make stable, functional and aesthetic removable appliances that serve you for many years. The appliances we make can be used as provisional device to replace missing teeth as we consider alternative fixed options or as your definitive replacement option.

Occlusal splints

At Audley Dental Solutions we strongly believe in preventative dentistry. When you sleep you can on occasionally create impressive amounts of force on your teeth, over time this can cause teeth and jaw problems. Well-designed protective appliances to can be used to maintain your natural teeth and restorations to reduce the likelihood of intervention in the future.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth. An implant has 2 parts: a titanium anchor that is surgically fixed into your gum and a false tooth, similar to a crown. A dental implant looks and feels like a natural tooth.

How restorative dentistry helps

The main aim of all dental restoration is to improve the oral health of the patient.

Reduce and eliminate pain.

Toothache or dental pain can be very debilitating. From a nagging ache to sharp stabbing pains that travel quickly to other parts of the face and even the neck and shoulders. An effective restorative treatment plan will always look to eliminate the cause of the pain.

Protect your natural teeth

Restorative dental treatments can protect your natural teeth by fixing problems at the primary cause before damage to your natural tooth becomes irretrievable.

Prevent tooth movement

Missing even one single tooth can cause the rest of your teeth to move. This can lead to functional and aesthetic issues. We can prevent this tooth movement using restorative treatments such as crowns, bridges or implants.

Improve dental function

Your teeth do a very important job. When they are not working properly due to missing or damaged teeth this impacts on how well you can chew and even limits the types of food you can eat. Restorative dentistry improves how well your teeth are able to perform their job and enables you to enjoy a wide range of foods.

Improve mental wellbeing

Your oral health goes hand in hand with your mental wellbeing. Not least because studies have shown that people with poor dental health are less likely to smile.You might also feel that you don’t enjoy socialising or mixing with others as you are embarrassed or self-conscious. This erodes your feelings of self-confidence which can impact on your psychological health. Depression and anxiety are serious health concerns. Those who suffer from them are a greater risk of developing even more oral health issues.

Seeing a specialist

In many cases your General Dentist refers you to see a registered Specialist in Prosthodontics, such as myself, to begin the restorative dental treatment plan.

However, you do not have to wait for this happen. Patients can self-refer and arrange a consultation with a specialist themselves. At Audley Dental Solutions we have patients contacting us directly from across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire we are able to travel to our practice located just outside of Bicester.

Before any treatment a thorough consultation must take place. This is where we determine the best options and steps in order to achieve the outcome you desire.

Once an agreed plan is formed the first step is to conduct a thorough investigation and stabilise any primary disease and risk factors. Once that is in place, we begin the procedures required for rehabilitation and finally we put in place measures to prevent the disease from returning and develop a long-term care plan.

Treatment plans often run over several months and require multiple visits to the dental practice. However, the vast majority of patients find the process not only improves their dental health and levels of discomfort but that they feel more confident, happy, and experience better overall wellbeing.

About Dr Preeyan Patel

Preeyan is registered as a Specialist in Prosthodontics who is passionate about clinical excellence alongside a high level of patient care.

Preeyan completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Restorative Dental Practice at UCL (2013) and became a Member of the Faculty of Dental Surgeons (MFDS) with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (2014), whilst also maintaining a presence in general practice in Buckinghamshire.

In 2017 he successfully completed a Masters in Prosthodontics (MClinDent) with Distinction at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and was awarded the UCHOSA Prosthodontic Prize. Preeyan was also awarded the Gary Pollock Clinical Prize by the British Society of Restorative Dentistry in 2017 and achieved the distinguished Membership in Prosthodontics (MPros) with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2018.

Alongside the high-quality specialist care Preeyan provides to patients in practice he also delivers training and guidance to postgraduate dentists on the Specialist pathway in Prosthodontics.

Preeyan is married with two young children. The family live close to the Audley Dental Solutions beautiful, converted-barn practice in Stratton Audley, just outside of Bicester where we treat patients from across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Find out whether Restorative Dentistry led by a Specialist Prosthodontist is a good solution for you book a consultation with Dr Preeyan Patel at Audley Dental Solutions.

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