Teeth rarely fail all at once. They break down in stages: first a small cavity, then a crack, then a larger fracture or infection. Restorative dentistry steps in at every stage to repair damage, protect what remains, and keep you chewing comfortably.
At Livingston Dental Group in Livingston, NJ, the goal is simple: save natural teeth whenever possible and give you strong, long-lasting solutions when a tooth cannot be saved.
A small chip, dark spot, or occasional ache can look and feel minor. The problem: tooth structure does not heal itself. Once enamel is gone or a crack forms, bacteria can move in and the damage usually spreads.
Common risks of delaying treatment:
Restorative dentistry focuses on stopping this progression as early as possible. The earlier you act, the more tooth structure you keep and the simpler the treatment stays. The team at Livingston Dental Group uses a full range of restorative dentistry options to match the solution to the severity of the problem.
When decay is limited and the tooth still has enough healthy structure, a filling is usually the most efficient fix.
Modern dental fillings use tooth-colored materials that blend with your enamel and bond directly to the tooth. They:
Fillings work best when decay is caught early. Regular exams and X-rays allow the dentist to identify small cavities before they cause pain or require more complex treatment.
Once a tooth has a large cavity, multiple old fillings, or a crack, it may no longer be strong enough to function with a simple filling. In these cases, a crown often becomes the most predictable way to keep the tooth.
A dental crown is a custom cap that fully covers the visible part of the tooth. It:
Crowns are commonly used for:
By encasing the tooth, a crown distributes chewing forces evenly and reduces the risk of further fractures.
Sometimes a tooth is too damaged or infected to restore. Extraction then becomes the safest option. Leaving the space empty creates its own problems: neighboring teeth drift, the bite becomes uneven, and bone in the area shrinks over time.
Dental implants provide a stable, long-term way to replace a missing tooth. An implant acts like an artificial root placed into the jawbone. After it integrates with the bone, a custom crown attaches on top.
Benefits of implants include:
Implants can replace a single tooth, several teeth, or support a full arch of replacement teeth when needed.
When one or more teeth are missing, but an implant is not the best choice for a particular case, other restorative options are available.
Common choices include:
These solutions restore function and appearance, improve chewing efficiency, and support lips and cheeks for a more natural facial profile. They are often combined with implants for added stability.
Restorative dentistry does not work in isolation. Prevention and prompt emergency care are part of the same system.
The sooner you address cracked teeth, lost fillings, or sudden pain, the more options you keep open for conservative, tooth-saving treatment.
Restorative dentistry is not just about fixing teeth; it is about restoring daily life:
A tailored plan can range from a single filling to a full-mouth reconstruction, depending on how many teeth are affected and how long issues have been present.
Teeth do not repair themselves. Once decay, cracks, or fractures appear, they either get treated or they progress. Restorative dentistry gives you a way to stop that process, protect what you have, and replace what you have lost with strong, modern solutions.
Livingston Dental Group in Livingston, NJ, uses a full range of restorative treatments—fillings, crowns, implants, and more—to keep your bite stable and your smile functional for the long term.
