Differences between cosmetic and restorative dental treatments

People come to see our north Surrey dentists for all sorts of important reasons. Some need to fix problems affecting their teeth, jaw, or ability to chew. Other people want a brighter smile, straighter teeth or to improve the shape of their teeth. 

Procedures that fall into the “fixing” category fall under the umbrella of restorative dentistry. And procedures that improve aesthetics, or how your teeth look, are known as cosmetic dental treatments. Here are a few examples of both, below.

Restorative dentistry

• Fillings to fix cavities
• Crowns or caps to fix broken/damaged teeth
• Bridges, dentures or implants to fix missing teeth
• Night guards to mitigate the effects of bruxism (teeth grinding)
• Root canal to save the tooth

Cosmetic dental treatments

• Teeth whitening to brighten teeth
• Veneers to improve the appearance
• Braces to straighten teeth

Aesthetics are still a part of restorative dentistry. That’s the idea behind offering white filling instead of the more traditional silver fillings. They’re just as good, but they blend in better. Additionally, dentures, bridges or caps will be made to blend in naturally with your surrounding teeth. We want you to be happy with your smile after serious issues are fixed!

If you have no major issues and would feel better with nicer looking teeth, or need that aesthetic for your job, etc. then purely cosmetic treatments will give you that amazing smile you’ve always wanted. We should mention that some cosmetic treatments may require some restorative fixes first, in order to safeguard your oral health.

Riverside Heights Dental Centre services include restorative and cosmetic dental treatments for people of all ages. Make an appointment today, or call 604-584-2535.