Crowns, commonly called “caps”, are used to restore both anterior and posterior teeth that have been broken, are at risk of breaking (due to large old fillings or fractures), or are cosmetically compromised. There are a variety of materials used to design these reconstructions in laboratories. The crowns will look and feel close to your real teeth.
Crowns are indicated if a significant portion of the tooth is missing. Usually, extensive decay, injury or root canal therapy, are the reasons when a crown is recommended. Crowns are usually either made of noble alloys, or porcelain. There are many different types of porcelain crowns and we will determine which type is best suited for your particular need.
During your first visit, we will prepare your tooth structure and then take an impression of the prepared tooth, make a temporary crown to place on the tooth, and send the impression to a dental laboratory to fabricate the crown. In some cases it is necessary to wear the temporary for an extended period of time, in order to wait for healing, assess the esthetics or the bite. All of this will be communicated before treatment starts. At the crown insertion appointment, we will try-in the crown to ensure a good fit and then cement the crown in place. When a tooth is compromised by decay or damage, we may suggest a crown, inlay, or onlay. These restorations, made in a lab from fine dental porcelain, will blend seamlessly with your teeth, return the strength that you need for comfortable oral function, and maintain your all-white smile.
Bridges are a fixed, or non-removable, prosthesis constructed to replace one or more missing teeth. The teeth on both sides of the existing space are used to attach the bridge to restore functionality and esthetics. Materials used for this process are noble alloys, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. Bridges are indicated whenever at least one tooth is missing. A bridge is composed of abutments and pontics. Abutments are the supports for the bridge and consist of crowns placed on the teeth surrounding the empty space. The pontics are special crowns that span across the empty space and connect to the abutments. When teeth are prepared for a bridge, the abutments are prepared for crowns just as described in crowns. As always, comfortable and esthetic temporaries are made such that you never leave the office without teeth in place.
