Restorative Dentistry in Germantown, MD

Today’s dental fillings utilize a tooth-colored material for a more natural-looking restoration that blends in with the rest of your teeth. The decayed portion of your tooth is removed, then a composite material is used to replace it. Composite fillings are completed in a single visit to our office.

Also known as caps, dental crowns are restorations that cover the outside of a tooth that is decayed, broken, cracked, or otherwise damaged. Crowns are also used as abutments to hold bridges in place. Two office visits are required for dental crowns—one to prepare the tooth and take impressions and a second to fit the crown and bond it in place.

Click here to learn more about dental crowns.

Sometimes a tooth has more damage than can be repaired with a dental filling, but the damage is not extensive enough to merit the placement of a dental crown. In such cases, inlays and onlays can be used to strengthen the tooth structure and restore function. Inlays and onlays are typically made with either porcelain or gold; like a crown, they are fabricated in a dental laboratory, then bonded to the prepared tooth.

Dental bridges are used to replace missing teeth. There are a few types of bridges to choose from, but the most common involves placing crowns on neighboring teeth to serve as abutments to anchor the bridge.

Click here to learn more about dental bridges.

There are several options for dental implant restorations, but what they all have in common is that they use a small biocompatible metal post or screw to anchor replacement teeth. This helps prevent and even reverse bone loss in the jaw.

Click here to learn more about dental implants.

Dentures can be used to replace multiple missing teeth on a single upper or lower arch. The difference between dentures and bridges is that dentures do not rely on adjacent tooth structures for support. Dentures can be fixed or removable, full or partial, and traditional or implant-supported.

Click here to learn more about dentures.

Call 240-813-9111 to schedule your appointment.

The difference between composite fillings and amalgam fillings is the material used: composite fillings are made with a tooth-colored resin for a more natural appearance, while amalgam fillings are silver. Amalgam fillings are stronger and last longer than composite fillings, so there are certain circumstances when they may be a better choice than composite.

Crowns can be made with many different materials, with gold crowns being the strongest and longest-lasting. On average, most crowns will last 15 years, but they can last decades with proper care and maintenance.

Inlays are used when there is more damage than can be repaired by a dental filling, but not enough to merit removing most of the tooth and placing a crown. Inlays are fabricated by a dental laboratory, so unlike fillings, they require two office visits to complete.

Dental implants are more secure than bridges and do not damage or weaken adjacent teeth. Because bridges only replace the visible portion of a missing tooth, they do not prevent bone loss in the jaw. For these reasons, implants are generally considered a better restorative solution than bridges. That said, bridges are comparable in cost, however, they are less invasive and faster.

With the All-on-4 dental implant procedure, your teeth can be pulled and you can receive an implant-supported restoration in the same day. Immediate dentures can also be inserted the same day as an extraction, but these are typically considered a temporary solution.