Crowns and Bridges

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that covers a tooth to restore its shape and strength and improve its appearance. A crown fully encases the entire visible portion of a tooth above and at the gum line and protects the tooth during use. There are several types of crowns, though the most common have a porcelain exterior to match the appearance of natural teeth.

• Stainless steel crowns are used on permanent teeth primarily as a temporary measure. The crown protects the tooth, while a permanent crown is made from another material. Stainless steel crowns are commonly used on children’s primary teeth because they don’t require multiple dental visits to put in place, they’re more cost-effective than custom-made crowns, and they’re durable. When the primary tooth comes out to make room for the permanent tooth, the crown naturally comes out. 
• Metals used in crowns include alloys with a high content of gold or platinum or base-metal alloys. Metal crowns withstand biting and chewing forces well, rarely chip or break, and often last the longest in terms of wear. The metallic color — and the high price of gold — are the main drawbacks. 
• Porcelain fused to metal dental crowns can be color-matched to your adjacent teeth and offer good strength and durability, though the crown’s porcelain portion can chip or break if subjected to chewing of hard foods or dental trauma. Next to all-porcelain crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look the most like natural teeth. However, the metal underlying the crown’s porcelain can sometimes show through as a dark line, especially at the gum line, and even more so if your gums recede. 
• All-resin dental crowns are less expensive than other crown types, though they look less like natural teeth than porcelain-exterior crowns. All-resin crowns also wear down over time and are more prone to fractures than other crown types. 
• All-porcelain or all-ceramic dental crowns provide a better natural color match than any other crown type and may be more suitable for people with metal allergies, though they aren’t as strong and durable as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.

Your dentist may recommend a crown to:

• Restore a broken or severely worn-down tooth
• Cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn’t a lot of tooth left
• Protect a tooth that’s been weakened by decay
• Cover a misshapen or severely discolored tooth
• Hold a dental bridge in place
• Cover adental implant

Pros and cons of crowns compared to veneers:

• Crowns are used to restore function as well as aesthetics
• Crowns provide stronger protection to the tooth than veneers
• Crowns require the removal of more natural tooth than veneers

When properly cared for, a dental crown can last up to 15 years. Crowns can be taken care of by regular brushing and flossing. The tooth beneath the crown is still susceptible to decay if you don’t maintain good oral hygiene — if the tooth beneath a crown decays, the crown must be removed so the tooth can be treated.

Some habits, such as grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw, can significantly shorten the life of a crown. Ask your dentist about treating these behaviors. Hard or brittle foods can also damage the crown and should be avoided

If you have a missing tooth or teeth due to tooth decay , injury, or gum diseade , a bridge may be the best choice for your long-term oral health. When teeth are missing, the teeth on either side of the gap might encroach into that space, causing bite problems that can lead to pain. A bridge maintains the structure of your mouth and keeps your natural teeth in their correct position. It also restores the esthetic beauty of your smile.

A dental bridge is a permanent restoration used to replace a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth. Bridges are custom-made to blend in with your surrounding teeth and look completely natural. They restore the esthetic contours of your smile and reinforce the relationship between your upper and lower jaw to give you a healthy bite and ensure that your mouth functions properly.

Thanks to cutting-edge digital scanning technology, we’re able to capture a virtual model of your teeth without messy, gooey impressions. These virtual scans improve patient comfort and restoration accuracy. Plus, we can convert the digital impression directly into our onsite milling equipment for same day restorations

A dental bridge is more permanent than a denture and is a less invasive and less expensive option than a dental implant. Unlike dentures, bridges don’t need to be removed for cleaning or sleeping, and they fit much better in the mouth than dentures do. While a dental implant is also an excellent choice for replacing teeth, it’s a more invasive procedure and a more expensive option that often isn’t covered by insurance. 

Your teeth are intended to work together. If you have missing teeth for an extended period, your nearby teeth may shift, causing structural instabilities in your mouth. This can cause:

• Bite problems
• Difficulty chewing
• Pain from stress on your jaw and natural teeth
• Lack of confidence in your smile

There are four main types of dental bridges:

• Traditional fixed bridge: This is the most common type of dental bridge. To be installed, the patient needs to have natural teeth on both sides of the missing tooth. This is because the artificial tooth is attached to dental crowns on the adjacent teeth. The crowns are cemented to the natural teeth, while the pontic attaches to the gap of the missing tooth. Traditional fixed bridges are typically made of porcelain fused with metal or ceramics.
• Implant-supported bridge: This bridge is similar to a traditional dental bridge, except the pontic is held in place by implant teeth instead of natural teeth.
• Cantilever dental bridge: The artificial tooth is anchored to just one abutment tooth. A cantilever bridge is usually used when there is an abutment tooth on only one side of the gap.
• Maryland dental bridge (resin-bonded bridge): This bridge is for missing front teeth. Because of the highly visible location at the front of the mouth, crowns aren’t placed on abutment teeth. Instead, thin metal “wings” are bonded to the back of the abutment teeth to hold the bridge in place.

In most instances, a temporary bridge is installed, while a permanent dental bridge is crafted from impressions taken from the patient’s mouth