3 Differences Between Restorative Dentistry & Cosmetic Dentistry

When faced with a dental problem or imperfection, it’s essential to seek dental care to protect your oral function, health, and appearance. Depending on your condition and needs, you might wonder whether you need cosmetic or restorative dentistry. Below are three key differences between cosmetic and restorative treatments to help determine which treatment is right for you.

Differences between Restorative and Cosmetic Treatments

• Elective or Essential

Cosmetic treatments are elective, while restorative treatments are essential. Elective treatments mean that you can do without them or delay treatment. Most people seek cosmetic treatment to improve their smile’s color, shape, size, spacing, and alignment. For instance, cosmetic imperfections like teeth stains don’t affect oral health or function. Therefore, you can choose whether or not to whiten them.

Restorative treatments are essential because you need them to address dental imperfections affecting your oral function and health. Sometimes these imperfections are accompanied by symptoms like pain, sensitivity, swelling, or bleeding. In such cases, you would need restorative treatment to alleviate the symptoms and treat the underlying condition. Most restorative treatments can repair broken, knocked-out, missing, or decayed teeth. Unlike cosmetic treatments, which can wait, it’s essential to seek restorative treatments as soon as possible.

• Purpose

Cosmetic dentistry enhances the aesthetics of your smile. Whether you have teeth chips, stains, improper teeth spacing, or misalignments, your cosmetic dentist can help improve the appearance of your teeth for a perfect smile. Common cosmetic treatments include:

• Teeth whitening, veneers, bonding, or dental crowns to enhance the appearance of stained, discolored, or yellowed teeth
• Orthodontic treatments like traditional braces and Invisalign to correct teeth misalignments, overcrowding, and improper teeth gaps
• Dental implants, bridges, and dentures to replace missing teeth
• Gum contouring to improve a gummy smile

On the other hand, restorative treatments focus on repairing dental imperfections to restore the health and function of your mouth. Dental flaws like missing, crooked, fractured, decayed, or broken teeth can affect your oral function and make you vulnerable to oral problems like gum disease and jawbone problems. Common restorative treatments to improve your oral function and health include:

• Dental implants, bridges, and dentures to replace missing teeth
• Dental fillings to treat cavities
• Dental crown for repairing damaged, stained, or decayed tooth
• Orthodontic treatments for teeth misalignments and overcrowding

When considering both treatments, it’s best to have a restorative treatment before a cosmetic one. Restorative treatments will enhance the function and health of your mouth, while cosmetic treatment will take it a step further by improving your appearance. It’s also worth noting that some treatments offer both restorative and cosmetic benefits. For instance, replacing missing teeth with a dental implant improves your oral function, health, and appearance.

• Dental Materials used

The type of dental materials used in restorative and cosmetic dentistry is another critical factor differentiating between restorative and cosmetic dentistry. The dentist focuses on the strength and durability of the material rather than aesthetic aspects. Amalgam fillings are common restorative treatments for tooth cavities. Thanks to modern dentistry, porcelain and zirconia are available.

With cosmetic dentistry, the aesthetics of the material is the critical factor to consider. Dental restorations for cosmetic treatments are often selected based on color to ensure that they blend perfectly with the rest of your smile. Common materials for cosmetic treatments include composite resin, porcelain, ceramic, and zirconia.

Final Verdict

In general, you need cosmetic dentistry if you want to improve the appearance of your smile. On the other hand, restorative treatments are essential to treat dental imperfections that affect your oral function and health. Depending on your condition and needs, you may sometimes need both restorative and cosmetic treatments.

Therefore, it’s best to seek professional advice. Our dentist in York Harbor, ME, can help you decide which treatment is right for you to ensure excellent oral health, function, and appearance. For more information about cosmetic and restorative dentistry in York Harbor, ME, contact York Dental Group.