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What’s the Difference Between Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry?

If you’re unhappy with your smile for any reason, you have options to improve it. Brushing, flossing, and regular visits to your dentist will help, but you should also ask about restorative and cosmetic dentistry. These services can give you the bright, even teeth that you dream of.

At Smile Reston Heights, we provide more than just general dental care. We also offer professional cosmetic and implant dentistry. Whether you want a professional whitening or composite fillings, you’ll find our team willing and able to help. Reston, VA, residents appreciate our practice’s flexible scheduling, efficient treatments, and friendly staff. We also offer emergency dental treatment and convenient financing options. Reach out and make an appointment today!

Below, we distinguish restorative from cosmetic dentistry and outline the benefits of both:

Defining Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry

To begin, let’s define these fields. At first, their descriptions seem so similar that some folks use the terms interchangeably. Nevertheless, the following explanations point out a crucial difference.

Cosmetic dentistry involves “correcting” patients’ smiles to a professional standard through straightening, whitening, and other treatments. As a result, patients’ teeth become healthier. Yet cosmetic dentistry aims for a better smile, not better teeth.

Restorative dentistry, by contrast, aims to reconstruct or strengthen damaged teeth. Its practitioners improve their patients’ oral health by providing fully functional teeth. Thus, cosmetic dentists go further than restorative ones to fix the appearance of their patients’ teeth.

Common Procedures & Treatments

Any procedure that improves the look of one’s teeth is considered cosmetic. Since a healthy smile improves one’s appearance, dentists deem restorative treatments as cosmetic (and vice versa). With this in mind, let’s look at Smile Reston Heights’ cosmetic dental options.

The best-known of cosmetic treatments, professional teeth whitening creates a clean, bright smile. It is also the least invasive procedure in cosmetic dentistry, which makes it a convenient option. Our other popular options include crowns and porcelain veneers.

Smile Reston Heights is also a certified Invisalign provider. Invisalign’s plastic aligners fulfill the same function as braces, but they do so without the discomfort and hassle of metal brackets. We also make durable composite fillings to correct cavities.

Which Is Right for You?

Even after you’ve received all the facts, you may still feel unsure about how to proceed. You know that your smile could use improvement, but what approach would produce the best result?

Visit Smile Reston Heights and speak with one of our dental experts about your options. If you want to correct minor issues with your smile, you can expect a cosmetic approach. However, if you have substantial concerns about your oral health, we recommend restorative dentistry.

And the best part of our work? No matter what treatments you end up receiving, you will look and feel better afterward! The benefits of cosmetic and restorative dentistry speak for themselves. Why not make a smile you’re proud of?

Brighten Your Smile With Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry in Reston, VA

If you brush and floss your teeth regularly but still feel unhappy with your smile, you still have a path forward. Reach out to Smile Reston Heights and ask about our cosmetic and implant dentistry options. Our dental practice offers cutting-edge treatments to families in Reston and throughout Northern Virginia. Plus, our flexible scheduling and financing options (including an interest-free payment plan) make maintaining your oral health easy. Call us today at (703) 345-1100 or book an appointment online now!

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