Dental Crowns and Bridges

Porcelain Dental Crowns and Bridges are fixed prosthesis which are cemented to the tooth structure.  That means they can only be removed by the experienced practitioner.

What is a dental crowns?

A dental crowns is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth.  This cap is used to restore shape, size, strength, and improve the tooth’s overall appearance.  Dental crowns, once bound into place fully wrap around the entire visible part of a tooth that is at and above the gum line.

When do you need a dental crowns?

Dental crowns are recommended in cases where a patient has a cracked or chipped tooth.   In cases where teeth are cracked, chipped, or splitting a crown can provide additional coverage, protection, and strengthen to the original tooth.  If you had an implant tooth that was damaged a crown might be a quicker and cheaper option than a new implant. While there are many reasons why you may need a dental crown, it really boils down to covering a tooth that is damaged or unsightly to protect and strengthen a tooth from further damage.  If you think you may need a dental crown call us for a free dental consultation.  Our free consultation is the first and most important part of the evaluation process.  Give us a call and let us help you.

What are the different types of dental crowns available?

The type of dental crown used depends on the type of material used.  Typically crowns are fabricated from stainless steel, metals such as gold, porcelain fused to metal, all ceramic or all porcelain.  Our experienced dental team at Avon Dental provides the latest ProCeram and Captek porcelain fused to metal.  While there are other brands available in today’s market, we believe that ProCeram and Captek offer the best price to performance.  Their durability, wear resistance, and high performance matrix means you get more use out of your new dental crowns. If you have questions regarding other types of crowns, or have a different type of crown that has broken or is cracked, please feel free to give us a call and we would be happy to answer any questions regarding the best dental crown for you or any repairs you might need.

What is a dental bridge?

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. Root canals are the most likely reason you might consider a dental bridge.  Some root canals can leave large opening or spaces between two teeth.  A root canal requires that a inner tooth and it’s nerve or root be fully removed, but sometimes the whole tooth needs to go.  A dental bridge can help fill that unsightly gap while strengthening and protecting your surrounding teeth.  A bridge is made up of two dental crowns with a false tooth in the middle. You guessed it, the false tooth covers the gap left by a root canal.  The two anchoring teeth on either side of the gap are called abutment teeth and a false tooth/teeth in the middle is called a pontic.  Like the dental crowns, dental bridges are also fabricated from different materials such as gold, resin, porcelain fused to metal and all ceramic.

How are dental crowns and bridges made?

The process starts with an initial consultation where a treatment planing procedure checklist is created, this is closely followed up by a mock-up if needed.   After your initial visit a follow up appointment will be made to prepare the tooth. The tooth will be reduced in all dimensions so that the dental crowns or bridge can fit perfectly.  Then an impression is taken along with the selection of the tooth shade and these are sent to our laboratory for fabrication.  It takes 2-3 weeks for the laboratory to fabricate the dental crowns or bridge.  In the meantime, a temporary dental crown(s) is/are placed over the reduced dimension tooth/teeth to protect the tooth/teeth structure(s) from damage. In the final appointment when the dental crowns or bridge is ready, the temporary dental crown(s) is/are removed and a permanent dental crown or bridge is cemented permanently into place.  A follow up visit is important to review the completed treatment, to ensure proper adhesion, and total oral health.