Restorative Dentistry: Saving and Rebuilding Natural Teeth
Restorative dentistry repairs and rebuilds damaged teeth so you can keep your own teeth working for longer. This page is for anyone with a decayed, broken, worn or infected tooth, or a gap to fill. It explains when a tooth can be saved, the treatments from fillings to dentures, how the right one is chosen, how long restorations tend to last and what they cost.
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Open 8am to 8pm, seven days
Free parking at the door
CQC & GDC registered
No referral needed
Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, the practice's principal dentist, reviewed this page. He is a General Dental Practitioner registered with the General Dental Council, number 301711, and his qualifications are BDS, BSc (Hons), MSc (Leeds), PG Dip Implant Dentistry and PG Cert Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry.
What is restorative dentistry?
Restorative dentistry is the part of dentistry that repairs damaged teeth and rebuilds their shape and function, so you keep your natural teeth for longer. It covers fixing broken teeth, decay, failing old fillings, infection inside the tooth and tooth wear.
Every restorative decision starts from how much healthy tooth remains. A small cavity usually needs a filling; thin walls around a large filling may need an inlay, an onlay or a crown; an infected tooth can often be kept with root canal treatment.
A tooth is built in layers of enamel, dentine and pulp, and damage confined to the enamel usually needs far less treatment than damage that reaches the nerve. The step-by-step guide to restorative treatment covers the process in order.
Who is restorative dentistry for?
Restorative dentistry is for anyone with a tooth that is decayed, broken, cracked, worn, infected or heavily filled, or with a gap to fill. Teeth grinding, frequent acidic drinks and a high risk of decay all make repair work more likely over time. Unsure whether something you have noticed needs repair? The signs in our restorative symptoms section are a sensible place to start.
Should a damaged tooth be saved or replaced?
A damaged tooth can usually be saved when enough sound tooth, gum and bone remain to support a lasting repair. Restorative dentistry keeps and repairs natural teeth, and replaces lost ones with bridges and dentures supported by the teeth and gums around them. Dental implants replace a tooth and its root, and they are a separate treatment, covered in our guide to replacing a tooth with an implant.
Whether a tooth can be kept depends on how much healthy tooth stands above the gum for a crown to grip, whether a crack runs into the root, the health of the gum and bone, and the tooth's role in your bite. Keeping or replacing a tooth is decided on these factors and your own priorities, not because one option suits everyone.
A tooth with large fillings and little original tooth left can be harder to keep, so a weakened tooth is worth checking before it breaks. For decisions between two specific options, such as root canal treatment or an extraction, browse the restorative comparison section.
Which restorative treatments does the practice offer?
Restorative treatment at Deepcar Dental Care runs from a single white filling to full mouth rehabilitation. Visit counts below are typical and vary by case.
| Treatment | What it does | Typical visits or time at the practice |
|---|---|---|
| White filling | Repairs a cavity or replaces an old filling | An appointment of around 60 minutes |
| Inlay or onlay, composite or ceramic | Rebuilds part of a back tooth with a piece made to fit, usually keeping more tooth than a crown | 2 visits |
| Crown | Covers and protects a weakened tooth | 2 to 3 visits, around 1 week from preparation to fitting, with a temporary in most cases |
| Bridge: conventional, adhesive (Maryland) or cantilever | Replaces one or more missing teeth using the teeth beside the gap | 2 to 3 visits |
| Dentures: full, flexible or immediate | Removable replacement teeth, reviewed as the mouth changes | 1 to 4 visits for a full denture |
| Root canal treatment | Removes infection from inside the tooth, then seals it | Typically 1 to 2 visits |
Apicectomy, surgery at the root tip when infection persists after root canal treatment, and crown lengthening are done in house. Bite raising appliances are also offered, as is full mouth rehabilitation where several teeth need rebuilding. Dentures held on implants belong to the implant service. Each treatment has its own page among the options in our restorative treatments section.
When is root canal treatment needed?
Root canal treatment is used when the pulp at the centre of a tooth is infected; without it, the tooth may need to come out. The infection is removed, the canals are cleaned and filled, and the tooth is sealed with a filling or a crown to stop it being reinfected.
At Deepcar Dental Care, rubber dam is used routinely, and a dental operating microscope and a rotary endodontic system are on site. The section on root canal treatment explains each step.
Book an appointment online or call 0114 288 2121 to have the tooth examined. The practice is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday.
What is tooth wear, and how is it managed?
Tooth wear is the gradual loss of tooth surface, from causes that include acid erosion and grinding, managed as a condition before it is repaired. Erosion can come from frequent fizzy drinks or from reflux or vomiting; grinding can wear teeth down, break them and loosen fillings.
Some wear is a normal part of ageing. European consensus guidance puts finding the cause, prevention and monitoring first, delays restoration for as long as is sensible, then favours a minimally invasive approach that bonds material to the tooth. At the practice, care for wear can include a bite raising appliance, composite added to worn back teeth to rebuild the bite, or a night guard for patients who grind, which has its own fee. The page on teeth that are wearing down covers causes and treatment stages.
How is the right restorative treatment chosen?
Choosing a restorative treatment starts with how much sound tooth remains and how healthy the nerve, gum and bone are. Digital X-rays, an intraoral camera, intraoral scanning and CBCT 3D imaging are on site, a caries detection dye is used to help identify decay, and a BPE gum screening is part of every examination.
Options are then weighed against what each asks of the tooth. Material, cost, the number of visits and how long each restoration tends to last are the usual trade-offs.
When two or three reasonable options remain for the same tooth, working out which option suits is the next step.
Who carries out restorative treatment at Deepcar Dental Care?
Crowns, bridges, dentures and other restorative work are carried out by our restorative dentists. Root canal treatment is provided by a dentist with a special interest in root canal treatment, and fillings by our dentists.
How long do restorations last?
A white filling typically lasts 5 to 10 years and a crown or bridge 5 to 20 years. A denture usually lasts 5 to 10 years before relining or remaking. Outcomes depend on the individual patient, their oral hygiene and their habits.
Research on white fillings in back teeth links a shorter life with a high risk of decay and with larger fillings, and grinding raises the risk of fracture. Repairing a chipped filling rather than replacing it can extend its life, and root-treated teeth are linked with better survival when they are restored with a crown or a similar laboratory-made restoration.
Fillings, crowns, bridges and dentures come with 12-month aftercare cover: free repair, free replacement or remake, and free adjustments. The cover does not apply where damage results from accidental trauma or infection, and for dentures gum recession is also excluded. Looking after each restoration is covered in our restorative aftercare section.
How much does restorative treatment cost?
Restorative fees vary by treatment: on the current fee list, white fillings are from £150 to £220 and all-ceramic crowns from £750 to £1,000. Root canal treatment is from £450 and full dentures from £990.
The final figure depends on the damage, the position of the tooth and the time and materials needed. The new patient examination, including X-rays, is currently £39, usually £85.
For a fuller breakdown, see what it costs, and if you would rather pay monthly, spreading the cost of treatment explains the options.
Where is restorative treatment carried out?
Restorative treatment is carried out at Deepcar Dental Care, 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH. There is free parking directly outside, and the practice is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible.
By car the practice is around 5 minutes from Stocksbridge and 15 minutes from Sheffield city centre; if you are searching from Sheffield or elsewhere in South Yorkshire, see our local restorative dentistry page. Patients describe their experience of the practice in our patient reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What if I am nervous about dental treatment?
Several options can make treatment easier, so tell the practice when you book. Numbing gel goes on before every injection, treatment can be broken into smaller stages, and a written plan is given before anything starts. Sedation is available in house on request, provided by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz or another sedation-trained dentist in our team after a separate pre-assessment.
Can old silver fillings be replaced with white ones?
Yes. Replacing old amalgam fillings with white fillings is one of the treatments our dentists provide. Whether a particular filling should be replaced depends on its condition and the tooth around it, because replacing it means drilling the old filling out. A filling in good condition may simply be checked at your routine visits instead.
How soon is a crown fitted after root canal treatment?
It depends on the tooth. Where a root-treated tooth is at higher risk, the crown is placed soon after treatment; otherwise it may be fitted after around 3 months to let the tooth settle. The practice decides the timing case by case, so ask at your appointment which applies to your tooth.
Can a denture be refitted as my mouth changes?
Yes. Gums and jawbone can shrink and change shape over time, which can make a denture loose. The practice carries out relines, which refit the denture to the current shape of your mouth. Dentures are reviewed every 6 to 12 months, so a reline can be planned when the fit starts to change.
Are crowns and bridges made overseas?
No. No overseas laboratory work is used at Deepcar Dental Care. The practice works with more than one dental laboratory and chooses one to suit the case. Ask at your appointment if you would like to know more about the material planned for your tooth.
Can a badly broken-down tooth still be rebuilt?
It may be, depending on what remains at and below the gum. A post crown is built on a fibre or cast metal post placed inside a root-treated tooth, and crown lengthening exposes more tooth for a crown to grip. Both are offered at the practice.
Book a consultation.
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We look after patients from Deepcar, Stocksbridge and Oughtibridge, and from across north Sheffield, including Wadsley, Hillsborough and Fulwood. Many travel further, from Penistone, Barnsley and Rotherham. The practice is on the A6102 at 334 Manchester Road, and no referral is needed.
334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
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Opening hours
Open 8am to 8pm, seven days
Free parking at the door