What Does A Conservative Approach Mean in General Dentistry?

Dental procedures can be scary for many, and for patients with severe tooth decay, forming that level of trust in their dentist can be terrifying at first. For dentists, treating complex dental problems comes with some major challenges because even with the best judgment in mind, excessive tooth removal is permanent and can lead to some unexpected consequences for the patient. Because of this prominent issue, some dentists have decided to take on some alternative methods for treating teeth, one of which is conservative dentistry.

Why Conservative Dentistry For Complex Tooth Problems?

Conservative dentistry is a subspecialty that hones in on dental procedures using minimally invasive methods. Minimally invasive methods only remove or treat the affected areas without removing any healthy tooth or gum structure during the procedure. The purpose of leaving behind healthy tooth structure is to preserve it, as preserving it often improves the patient’s overall outcome and keeps their natural smile in place.

Despite its methods, not many dentists specialize in this form of dentistry. This issue results from multiple factors affecting the dentist and their patients. For dentists, the lack of experience handling complex tooth restoration often leads them to rely on repeatable, reliable procedures that often include excessive tooth removal. Another factor includes the financial and extent of patients’ dental problems. Managing patients’ dental care and dental businesses often cause an excessive reliance on procedures that are more affordable and cost-effective rather than beneficial for the patient long-term. Because of this heavy reliance on traditional procedures, most dentists don’t work to improve their business infrastructure through newer means, creating inherent problems that leave many with excessive tooth removal and poorly performed procedures.

However, for dentists opting to use conservative measures in their practices, minimally invasive methods have been studied over the last decade to improve these outcomes and financial costs. As more dentists shift from treatment-focused to prevention-focused goals, conservative dentistry fits the bill for meeting those needs and improving patients’ overall health.

The Benefits of Conservative Dentistry For Patients

Conservative dentistry has the potential to change the infrastructure of dental practices. Approaching patients with minimally invasive methods can help remove many of the problems faced by patients when attempting to gain dental care, especially when faced with issues such as gum disease, severe tooth loss, root canal infections, and other problems. Through conservative dentistry, patients can experience benefits such as:

• Reduced Dental Costs: Conservative methods can be cheaper, providing patients with alternatives that their insurance companies can cover.
• Improved Preservative Measures: Preservative measures are the ultimate goal. Because of this, conservative treatments can help improve overall tooth care by healing the natural tooth.
• Better Aesthetic Function: Conservative methods can improve aesthetics, as they focus on finer details and aesthetic values more so than traditional methods.
• More Natural-Looking Smiles: With minimally invasive methods, patients can experience a smile that is naturally theirs.

If you are unsatisfied with your oral health, one of the best things you can do is visit your local general dentist today to learn about your treatment options with conservative dentistry.