What Does A Conservative Approach Mean in General Dentistry?

Many dentists have to rely on their judgment and experience when treating their patients, and in many cases, excessive tooth removal is an extensive problem within the dental industry that often results in wasted time and money and can even cause further problems down the road. One of the biggest issues tackling the dental industry is the procedures involved in treating complex problems, where excessive tooth removal may appear like the correct suggestion but, in turn, could result in actions that would be deemed unnecessary by others in the field. Even with the best intentions, excessive tooth removal is sometimes just caused by misplacement of professional judgment of the patient’s condition and, as a result, can lead to unintended mistakes that require further treatment.

In order to resolve this issue, conservative dentistry attempts to take a new approach to dental treatment. We’re here to look into what conservative dentistry means for you and how this approach can correct the problem of excessive tooth removal.

What is Conservative Dentistry All About?

Conservative dentistry focuses on minimally invasive methods. Minimally invasive procedures focus on only removing or treating what is considered unnecessary or damaged, and any other healthy structures are left behind. In dentistry, this means that any healthy tooth structure is left alone during the restorative process, and to tackle the issue, dentists would remove only damaged tooth material to correct the problem. With this in mind, conservative dentistry offers solutions that work to preserve the natural tooth structure as much as possible.

Preserving the patient’s smile should be inherent to many dental practices, but many practices either have to rely on repeatable, successful procedures or are presented with dental challenges that often lead to a lack of judgment when providing care. Most procedures used today involve removing healthy tooth material to perform them correctly, and because of this, many general practices face challenges when meeting the demands of patients who desire more of their natural tooth structure in place.

The Benefits of Conservative Methods in Dentistry

However, with the introduction of conservative dentistry, dentists can provide more personalized approaches to their patients on a wider scale. This also means that patients faced with conditions such as tooth decay, cracked teeth, severe gum disease, and other common issues can have a more positive experience with their dentist, experiencing benefits such as:

• Reduced Dental Costs: Through conservative approaches, general dentists can help reduce the costs of procedures for patients who need treatments not covered by their insurance company.
• Improved Preservative Measures: By working with conservative methods, preservative measures for tooth care can be improved.
• Better Aesthetic Function: Conservative approaches also allow for a better focus on aesthetics and give their patients aesthetically-pleasing smiles that suit their facial structures.
• More Natural-Looking Smiles: Minimally invasive procedures tend to provide more natural-looking resulting in reduced costs and more preserved enamel.

Through the introduction of conservative dentistry, more people can experience natural-looking smiles without worrying about their teeth. If you find yourself unhappy with your oral health, the best thing to do is visit your local general dentist today to learn about your options for conservative treatment.