Oral and facial rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients
The restorative department facilitates the rehabilitation of oral function and dento-facial appearance after cancer surgery and radiotherapy. We work with the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) in collaboration with a wide range of clinicians including clinical oncologists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, ENT surgeons, speech and language therapists, specialist physiotherapists, clinical nurse specialists, and nutritionists etc.
The restorative dentistry team may assess your dental health prior to any cancer treatment to reduce the risk of dental complications. Following cancer treatment, patients are often referred back to the restorative department to help with your dental rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation of patients with developmental dental defects
This involves the reconstruction of oral function, dento-facial appearance and replacement of missing teeth of patients born with missing teeth (hypodontia), patients with oral developmental defects (e.g. cleft lip and palate) and patients born with disorders affecting the development of teeth causing unusually small, discoloured, pitted or grooved teeth (e.g. amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta, etc).
Treatment may require a combined approach with orthodontic braces and restorative treatments. If appropriate, we will assess your needs in a joint clinic with restorative, orthodontic and paediatric dental consultants.
Rehabilitation of trauma patients
Reconstruction of the oral and dental tissues may be provided following damage due to significant injury. Treatment may require a combined approach alongside the oral and maxillofacial surgery and orthodontic teams.
Specialist endodontic treatment
The restorative department provides specialist advice and treatment planning for endodontic (root canal) problems. Specialist treatment is offered in certain cases which are considered to be out of the scope of general practitioners, such as apical surgery (root end surgery) and complex endodontic treatment of strategic teeth.
Specialist periodontal treatment
A specialist advice and treatment planning service is provided for periodontal (gum) diseases. Specialist treatment is offered to selected cases based on the severity of the gum disease and cases that may require gum surgery.
Specialist prosthodontic treatment
The restorative department provides a specialist advice and treatment planning service for teeth that are damaged or broken due to injuries, replacement of missing teeth and teeth damaged by tooth grinding and acid erosion. Specialist treatment is offered to priority patient groups. On some occasions, patients may be accepted who are outside the priority patient groups. This is dependent upon the educational needs of the postgraduate clinical training programmes and is not guaranteed.
Teaching dental professionals
The restorative dentistry department plays a key role in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate dental professionals in partnership with the School of Dentistry (University of Leeds). It also provides postgraduate clinical training including dental foundation, dental core training and speciality training in partnership with Health Education England (Yorkshire and the Humber).
Clinical research
The restorative dentistry department contributes to internationally renowned research in collaboration with The Translational and Clinical Research Unit and the School of Dentistry (DenTCRU, University of Leeds).