Restorative dentistry, sometimes called restoration dentistry, focuses on repairing and rebuilding teeth to look and function like new. Are you unsure if you need restorative dental care? Consider these three clues:

• Missing teeth: Whether you’ve lost them to extensive tooth decay, gum disease, or an accident, they should be replaced as soon as possible. Missing teeth come with consequences, like bone loss, misalignment, and increased bite stress.
• Broken teeth: Fractured, broken, or chipped teeth tend to hurt. Consequently, discomfort from broken teeth is often due to exposure of the tooth’s pulp and nerves, which can feel painful if left untreated.
• Extensive decay: When tooth decay is in its early stages, it can be remedied with composite fillings, dental crowns, and root canal therapy. But, when a tooth is too far gone and cannot be preserved with these methods, it must be extracted and replaced as soon as possible to prevent misalignment.