Restorative Dentist in Amherst, NY

Douglas Hamill DDS is an experienced restorative dentist serving patients in Amherst, Williamsville, and throughout the Western New York region.

While a preventative dentist focuses on preventing dental problems before they can occur, and cosmetic dentists are concerned mostly with the appearance of teeth, a restorative dentist repairs teeth and helps you heal chronic issues in the gums. This particular subgenre of the field of dentistry is similar to orthodontics in its approach towards solving ongoing problems with the integrity and function of teeth, but while orthodontic work seeks to align the bite and evenly space the teeth through the use of appliances, restorative dentistry concentrates on curing conditions such as gingivitis, periodontitis, dental caries (cavities), and broken teeth. The four types of dental work can be best explained thus: orthodontics makes sure that all teeth and the jaw are in the correct positions, preventative dentistry strives to avert the development of dental issues, restorative dentistry attacks those problems if they do occur, and cosmetic dentistry optimizes the appearance of the smile.

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Restorative Dentistry in Buffalo, NY

Common issues that typically require restorative attention include the deterioration of the gums, a fracture in the exterior and/or interior of a tooth, and teeth knocked out of the maxilla (upper law) or the mandible (lower jaw) due to injury. Much like orthodontic work, routine visits to a restorative dentist help you tackle these issues in order to both create a healthy mouth and allow a patient full use of her or his chewing and speaking faculties. Frequent measures taken by your restorative dentist to correct dental problems encompass dental fillings, bridges, crowns, root canals, and dental implants, all of which protect teeth from bacterial infection and fix malocclusion (misaligned teeth and jaws).

Bridges are false teeth that, when inserted into a gap, give the appearance of a full smile. The bridge is one of several types of prostheses that equalize pressure in the mouth. Crowns are essentially caps that are placed over the teeth in order to prevent infection and further fortify teeth that have become weakened. Fillings are used to reduce the gaps that appear on teeth due to weathering, fracture, grinding, or decay. Coming in white and silver options, fillings restore the original shape of a tooth, allowing it to better blend in with the rest of the mouth. Implants are an alternative to bridges that fill in the space left by a missing tooth, instead of merely masking the gap. Through minor surgery, an implant is screwed into the jawbone, which bonds with the implant’s titanium base in order to simulate the root structure of natural teeth. A root canal is a procedure that attacks deep cavities at their source, potentially saving the infected teeth from mandatory removal.

When daily brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash are unable to completely thwart the incidence of dental issues such as cavities and gingivitis, your restorative dentist will switch her or his approach from preventative dentistry to restorative work. When the problem lies within the tooth or below the gum line, minor surgical intervention can stave off many of the damaging effects of infection, and there are many available options to superficially reshape the surface of a tooth in order to provide strength and support. Consult your restorative dentist today if you feel you may require a restorative procedure to return your mouth to its full capability.

Our Restorative Dentist Services Include:

Dental Fillings

Fillings vary according to the size of the cavity. If you have a large cavity, we will administer local anesthesia, drill out the cavity, place a dentine bonding agent in the space, insert the white filling, and harden the filling with light. This procedure is typically smooth and simple. The cost of a filling depends on how many surfaces of the tooth it covers. LEARN MORE

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a cap that is placed over the tooth to protect it from fracturing after the installation of a filling, significant restoration, or a recent root canal. Crowns can also have cosmetic appeal.

Dental crowns are needed when the teeth have physically and superficially deteriorated. Crowns enforce teeth and reduce the appearance of discoloration. In the majority of our patients, crowns usually last seven to 10 years. However, with careful, routine maintenance, we have seen crowns last far longer than a decade. – LEARN MORE

Dental Implants

An implant is a prosthesis, an artificial appliance, that is used to replace missing teeth. The advantages of implants include their duration and their lack of impact on other teeth. Implants can last a long time—for years or even decades. They can also replace teeth without affecting the teeth around them. Implants are composed of three parts: the part that is affixed to the bone, a post, and a crown. – LEARN MORE

Dental Bridges

These structures utilize the teeth on either side of a missing tooth to serve as the anchors for bridges, which are essentially groups of crowns all cast together. Dental bridges have fallen out of fashion lately, as implants have become more and more preferred. – LEARN MORE

Dentures & Partials

If you feel that you need dentures, the first thing is to schedule a checkup with your restorative dentist. If all your teeth are significantly infected with periodontal disease or extensive decay, you may be a strong candidate for dentures. However, teeth can be saved, and we prefer to try to save teeth before we consider replacing them. – LEARN MORE

If you have questions about your specific dental issue, or would just like to schedule your regular check-up, please contact our Buffalo dental office today.

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