Crowns And Bridges

 

Crowns and bridges are two of our most common restorative dentistry procedures, and are also excellent cosmetic options.

Crowns

Crowns, which are often referred to as “caps,” can be made from porcelain or a combination of porcelain and metal.

They’re cemented to your original tooth and can last for years.

To fabricate a crown, we prepare the tooth, take an impression, and place a temporary crown. Once the permanent crown has been made, we cement the crown in place.

Crowns are typically used to restore:

• Badly decayed teeth (which may have 3-sided, 4-sided, or even 5-sided fillings)
• Broken or chipped teeth
• Severely discolored teeth
• Misaligned teeth

Why don’t we offer one day crowns in our office?

Dentistry is a unique profession with the ability to change people’s lives! Dentists don’t just deliver a service, but we also deliver products.

Crowns and Bridges along with other types of restorations are delivered on a daily basis in a dental office.

So, what makes one crown different from another, and why don’t we offer crowns that can be made in one day at our office?

 

Crowns and bridges can be fabricated with different materials. In our office, because all of our crowns are all made in a high quality dental lab, we are able to offer several different types of crowns; ceramic, porcelain fused to a gold alloy framework and an all gold alloy.  Each material has its advantages in different circumstances.

Advantage to a one day crown

Crowns that are made and delivered in one day have the advantage of a patient needing only one appointment and not having to wear a temporary crown.

Disadvantages to a one day crown:

• Most types of crowns and bridges, cannot be made in a dental office.
• Ceramic crowns are the only material that can be fabricated using the milling machines found in a dental office. Ceramic crowns are not always the best choice for a patient.
• With many of the milling machines in a dental office, only certain types of ceramics can be used.
• The time spent at the patients’ one appointment is significantly increased because of having to wait for the crown to be made.
• Our natural teeth are not just one shade; however, ceramics are. Crowns made utilizing a milling machine use a block of ceramic. Each block of ceramic comes from a selected base shade that can be modified with stains and tints.  This process adds a significant amount of time to the fabrication.  For a crown to look natural, it must match the surrounding teeth.
• Quality dental labs employ highly skilled technicians that can create beautiful, natural looking ceramic restorations. The milling machine used by the dental lab is more sophisticated and versatile than one used in a dental office.

It is true that technology exists for dentists to make crowns in their office in just one day.  However, the philosophy in our office is to make the best, most durable and long lasting, crown possible for each patient that provides a customized fit using high quality materials.

Please feel free to call our office and make an appointment to discuss your needs so we can personalize your smile!

Bridges

A bridge, which is used to replace one or more missing teeth, is a combination of crowns and an artificial tooth or teeth. Unlike partials or dentures, bridges are dental structures that are cemented in place and cannot be removed.  In some cases, depending on the teeth surrounding the missing tooth, a dental implant might be a better solution.

For more information on crowns and bridges, or to schedule a dental appointment, please call (303) 355-6340.