Crowns & Bridges

Broken tooth? Badly decayed tooth? Don’t Panic you probably won’t lose the tooth! We may be able to save your tooth with a dental crown.

What are Dental Crowns?

A crown is a tooth shaped cover that is positioned over an existing damaged tooth to enhance strength and durability and to create a smoother look.

Reasons for Crown Placement

• Reinforce a tooth that is cracked or broken
• Repair a tooth that has an old large filling
• Cover a tooth that is severely decayed
• Reinforce a tooth that has had a root canal
• Encase a dental implant
• Anchor a dental bridge

Crowns strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure and can improve the appearance of your smile. Types of crowns include the full porcelain crown (ideal for use on the front teeth), the porcelain-fused-to-metal crown and the all-metal crown (ideal for use on the back teeth).

The Dental Crown Procedure

• Before placing the crown on the tooth, the tooth will be shaped to make room for it.
• Then an impression of the tooth and the surrounding teeth is taken.
• A temporary crown is placed on the tooth.
• When the permanent crown is ready (2-3 weeks normally), the temporary crowns are replaced.

A crown may last up to 40 years!

A bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth in your mouth. Bridges are fixed, in that they are cemented on the supporting teeth or in some cases, fixed on an implant that has been placed next to the missing teeth. Replacing the missing teeth will restore your ability to properly chew and speak besides its cosmetic advantages. In addition, the space caused by the missing teeth may allow the surrounding teeth to shift into that space. This shifting could cause a misalignment in your bite that can result in problems with your jaw joint. These shifted teeth are harder to clean making them more susceptible to gum disease, decay or even additional tooth loss. It normally takes two or more visits for your dentist to complete the bridge. On your first visit, a local anesthetic is administered to make the procedure more comfortable. During this visit, the supporting teeth, which are typically the ones on either side of the missing tooth are prepared by shaping and reducing their size. This is done to make room for the crowns that will slide over each of the supporting teeth. These crowns also serve as holders of the pontic, which is the missing tooth’s replacement. Next, an impression of the abutments or the supporting teeth is made so a dental laboratory can custom fit the bridge. Finally, a temporary bridge is inserted to protect the abutments as well as the space between them. In most cases, on your second visit the permanent bridge is placed and adjusted to insure proper fit and function.