1. Restorative and esthetic dentistry involves treating patients' general dental needs through procedures like fillings, replacing failed restorations, and addressing tooth discoloration or spacing issues. 2. Cavity preparation involves initially outlining and establishing resistance and retention forms, then removing any remaining decay or material and adding additional retention features. 3. Common types of dental fillings include Class I-V restorations to address decay in different areas of teeth. More complex procedures include using retention pins or intermediate restorations.