Restoration
Also: repair, restored, conservation
Any modern intervention on a fossil, from gluing a break to rebuilding missing material. Honest sellers distinguish repaired, restored, and composite specimens — each affects value differently.
Restoration covers anything done to a fossil after it leaves the ground, from cleaning and stabilizing to gluing breaks and rebuilding missing parts. None of it is dishonest in itself — the fossil trade has used these techniques for generations — but it must be disclosed plainly, because the degree of intervention changes what a specimen is worth and what you are actually buying.
Repaired vs. restored vs. composite
Collectors use three terms with real precision. Confusing them is how buyers overpay, so here is the distinction we hold ourselves to:
| Term | What was done | Typical effect on value |
|---|---|---|
| Repaired | A tooth that broke is glued back together using its own original pieces. No new material is added. | Modest reduction; the specimen is still all-natural. |
| Restored | Missing material — root corners, enamel, a tip — is rebuilt with resin or filler. | Larger reduction that grows with the amount restored. |
| Composite | The piece is assembled from parts of two or more different teeth, or partly sculpted. | Substantial; it is no longer a single natural tooth and must be labeled as such. |
Why honest disclosure matters
A naturally complete tooth, a repaired tooth, and a heavily restored or composite tooth can look similar in a photo but sit at very different price points. We disclose the condition of every piece, and our certificate of authenticity records it in writing. To understand how condition feeds into price, our guide on grading and valuing shark teeth is the place to start.
There is nothing wrong with a repaired or restored fossil — as long as it is sold as exactly that.