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Restorative dentistry

Restorative dentistry is concerned with preserving and restoring oral health by means of the study, diagnosis and management of dental disease.

The primary focus of the restorative department at York Hospital is to provide specialist oral rehabilitation to restore function and aesthetics for patients with congenital and acquired dento-facial defects.

The specialty includes all of the activities associated with the subspecialties of Implantology (Dental implants), Prosthodontics (crowns, bridges, dentures), Endodontics (root fillings) and Periodontics (gum disease).

Another major role of the Consultant in Restorative Dentistry is to provide an advisory service for general dental practitioners and their patients.

What services do we provide?

A diagnostic and treatment planning service for a wide range of congenital and acquired diseases and disorders affecting the mouth, face and jaws
Diagnosis, assessment and specialist advice for treatment to the referring dental practitioner
A number of patients will be accepted for treatment should they fall within the defined acceptance criteria for specialist hospital care

Who can refer?

General dental practitioners
High street specialists in the dental disciplines
Generally we would not expect referrals directly from general medical practitioners

Referral criteria for consultation

Your dentist may refer if you require:

A specialist opinion
Assessment, diagnosis, and advice
Treatment planning for the referring practitioner

Treatment acceptance criteria

We provide oral rehabilitation for:

Head and neck oncology patients that have significantly altered anatomy, high risk of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) and complex functional aesthetics requiring multidisciplinary care
Congenital and acquired defects requiring specialist skills to restore function and aesthetics
Severe congenital abnormalities in tooth number, form or structure (hypodontia, palatal cleft, amelogenesis and dentinogenesis imperfecta) where the treatment is beyond the scope of the primary dental care services
Trauma resulting in significant acquired defects or requiring implant restoration and multidisciplinary secondary care

If accepted for treatment, we aim to work with the referring dental practitioner and would ask that they provide routine dental care. Due to limited resources, ongoing support and maintenance care will be expected to be provided in the primary or community care services.

Dentistry implants

A number of dental implants are available under the NHS and only in the categories listed below:

Acquired defects as a result of ablative surgery for head and neck cancer
Congenital defects e.g. hypodontia, cleft lip and palate
Tooth tissue loss following trauma
Please note: Patients in whom tooth loss occurred due to trauma more than two years ago may not necessarily qualify for NHS implants.
Continuing problems with well made and fitting complete dentures (as deemed by a Consultant in Restorative Dentistry).

Service summary

The Restorative Consultant's treatment remit is to provide oral rehabilitation for patients that require multidisciplinary care along with colleagues in the Head and Neck cancer team, the Maxillofacial department and Orthodontic Department. For this reason treatment is limited to high priority groups (Head & Neck Oncology, Trauma, or Congenital abnormalities) with complex oral health problems.

The restorative department in York Hospital provides an advisory service for general dental practitioner's requesting a specialist second opinion and for treatment planning. We will accept any patient for assessment, second opinion or treatment planning referred within the NHS.

Contact us

Head and Neck reception: 01904 726400

Restorative Dentistry Secretary, Jane Russell: 01904 725614

Meet the Consultants

The restorative department at York Hospital has two consultants, both working part-time in the department.

Mr David Seymour

David works at York hospital as a Consultant in Oral Rehabilitation / Restorative Dentistry. David is a registered specialist in Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. Following his undergraduate degree he worked in a variety of hospital and general practice positions before his 5 year specialist training role based at the Leeds Dental Institute. During his specialist training David completed a Masters Degree in Restorative Dentistry and was awarded a distinction by the University of Leeds.

David has an active research profile and has over 200 citations from articles published in peer reviewed journals. David is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh and examines at the college in the Endodontic and Prosthodontic examinations

Mr Peter Nixon

Peter qualified in 1998 and has been a Hospital Consultant and Specialist Dentist for over 15 years. After working at the Leeds Dental Institute for 19 years, he moved to York Hospital in 2019.

Peter spends half the week at York Hospital and also works part-time for a private practice in Tadcaster.

To become a Consultant and Specialist, after his 5 year degree course, Peter worked for 4 years in a combination of general practice and hospital jobs and then trained for a further 5 years in hospital as a Registrar, doing specialist and complex dental treatment. Along the way, he completed a Masters Degree in Restorative Dentistry (with distinction) and passed the necessary examinations at the Royal College of Surgeons to become a specialist.

Peter is a registered Specialist in endodontics (root fillings), periodontology (gums) and prosthodontics (repair and replacement of teeth). He is very experienced in dental implants, providing surgical and restorative treatment from simple to the most complex cases over the last 18 years. Peter is an examiner for dentists in implant dentistry for the Royal College of Surgeons.

He is known for his calm, caring approach and as a precise clinician who enjoys treating patients every working day.

Useful websites

For more information about restorative dentistry, visit www.restdent.org.uk

For more information about oral cancer, visit the Mouth Cancer Foundation at www.rdoc.org.uk

General dental information

To register with a Dentist in the North Yorkshire area visit www.nyypct.nhs.uk/AdviceInformation/DentalRegister/

The British Dental Association patient information site can be found at www.bdasmile.org

The British Dental Health Foundation - independent charity that works to improve the standards of oral healthcare visit www.dentalhealth.org

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