Restorative dentistry is a dental specialty that focuses on restoring the health and function of your smile. Through restorative dental treatments, we can repair damage, rebuild teeth, and replace missing teeth, and restore your smile.

Dental fillings

Fillings are one of the most common procedures in restorative dentistry. They repair teeth that have been damaged by tooth decay, returning them to their original strength and appearance. The treatment also helps prevent further decay by closing off any cracks or spaces where bacteria can enter. In some cases where the damage is extensive, your dentist may suggest tooth extraction and replacement with a dental implant.

We may recommend gold fillings that are extremely durable for back teeth that withstand a lot of chewing pressure. They are a good choice for people who clench or grind their teeth, which can crack traditional silver amalgam fillings. Gold fillings also require less tooth preparation than mercury amalgam fillings, meaning more of your healthy tooth structure can be preserved.

Porcelain fillings are also popular because they match the color of your natural teeth, making them look very natural. These restorations are made in a dental lab from an impression taken of your tooth and are bonded to your tooth during a process called _bonding_. Bonding gives the filling strength because it seals the porcelain to the tooth to stop leakage and insulate the tooth from hot or cold temperatures.

Resin composite fillings provide good durability and resistance to fractures in small to medium-sized cavities that need to withstand moderate pressure from biting and chewing. This material is also compatible with fluoride applications for strengthening your teeth against bacteria and acid attacks.

For patients who want their smile to look as natural as possible, we offer inlays and onlays in our Sandy Springs dental office. Inlays are used to repair damage to the top surfaces of your teeth while onlays are used for larger areas. Both are made from strong and durable materials such as porcelain, gold, or

Dental crowns

A dental crown is a restoration that is placed over a tooth in order to restore its function and appearance. When decay in a tooth has become so advanced that large portions of the tooth must be removed, there may not be sufficient structure remaining to hold a filling. In cases like this, a dental crown will be recommended. The crown surrounds the tooth like a cap, providing a protective shell around the the remaining tooth structure. Since a crown fits over the top of a tooth, it restores the natural look of the tooth and strengthens it since it will be biting against natural teeth.

At Root River Dental, we design our restorations to look natural and blend in with the surrounding teeth. Metal crowns can be tinted to match the surrounding teeth, and ceramic crowns are carefully crafted to provide a very aesthetic result that can blend seamlessly with surrounding teeth. Both metal and ceramic crowns are extremely durable and can be relied on to last many years with the proper care.