“Restorative dentistry” is the term dental professionals use to explain how they replace missing or damaged teeth. Fillings, inlays and onlays, crowns, bridges and implants are common restorative options. The goal is to bring back your natural smile, correct the functional problems of your bite and prevent future oral health issues.

The most common way of restoring damaged teeth are the direct composite dental fillings. In cases when teeth have different problems like, caries/decay, structural problems like abrasions, erosions, worn teeth, gaps between them etc, dental fillings are indicated. These fillings could be made out of composites, glass ionomer cements or compomers - materials that are a mixture from the two. The amalgams are also materials that have been used for direct restorations in the past, but they are not that common any more because of their aesthetic disadvantages.

However, teeth that have bigger defects are indicated for indirect restorations including inlays and onlays. Both inlays and onlays are considered “indirect” fillings, meaning that they are fabricated outside the mouth (generally at a dental laboratory), and then bonded to the tooth by the dentist. This is in contrast to a “direct” filling, which is applied directly to the cavity by the dentist in one office visit. Inlays and onlays could be made out of different materials, including porcelain, composite, gold or different metals.

Crowns, bridges and dental implants are separately described in other service sections.

Find out more in the “what to expect” and “FAQ” sections.