Crowns and Bridges

Having a missing tooth can be very stressful when considering esthetics, the treatment one needs to undergo to replace the tooth, or teeth, and the costs associated.  Since every patient has their own individual needs as well as financial constraints, it is not always up to us to decide what is “best” for you. We will always present all of the available options and weigh the pros and cons as far as optimal dental treatment goes.  Along with that, we will present the fees associated with all of these options.  Finally, we will present you with options for third party finance companies to help spread the costs over a longer period of time where costs are a concern.  We will try to find a way to allow you to get the best treatment, the treatment that you deserve, but also understand if the “best” treatment just isn’t feasible at this time.  We will then work to help you decide on one of the alternate options

There are various reasons we do crowns as well as various processes involved.  Most of the time, after a tooth is prepared and an impression taken, we can have the crown ready to cement in two weeks.  Crowns on implants will often require an additional week to make as implant components must be ordered by the lab and custom parts fabricated.  Those additional steps require more time at the lab. 

There are other times that the time frame may differ for various reasons.  Sometimes we like to keep a temporary crown on, or even the permanent crown, using temporary cement for an extended period. We will do this when we have concerns about the health of the nerve in the tooth and we want additional time to evaluate it.  If we need the lab to make a post for the tooth, this will also require additional time and appointments. Other times, we will send you to the lab so the lab technician can see you for custom shading and tinting so the best esthetic result can be obtained.  Timing of that appointment and availability of the patient and lab technician may delay the final finish date accordingly.

Like so many things, we want them done right, not just fast.  We understand that patients want things done right away, but we want them done right. We will always go the extra mile to make sure you get the result you want and deserve. 

Crowns, often called caps, and bridges are ways to restore teeth into function.  Crowns are restorations placed on a single tooth or implant to return it into function.  A bridge, on the other hand is used to replace a missing tooth or teeth by “bridging” the space that is missing teeth using artificially fabricated teeth. We do this by fabricating a restoration that has several teeth connected together and we anchor this restoration, also known as a “bridge,” to existing teeth that are modified to act as anchors.   The most common materials used for these restorations are either gold, porcelain, lithium disilicate, or zirconia.  There are other materials available, but these are the ones we most commonly use. There are benefits and drawbacks of each material option and we always weigh esthetics and strength as deciding factors when selecting materials for our patients. If you feel you need a crown or bridge, contact us so we can give you an evaluation and see what your options may be.   

When people have chipped or worn teeth, it can result in esthetic concerns as well as produce discomfort of the teeth or joints. While patients want things fixed quickly, our first challenge is to determine the cause of the problem.  We always want to know the cause because we want to prevent further breakdown of the teeth, as well as have long term success with any new restorations we may place.  Sometimes the fix can be as simple as a filling, a crown or a veneer,  while other times the optimal treatment may get more involved. We often see an underlying cause of tooth breakdown related to grinding or clenching teeth. When there is significant wear throughout, the restorative treatment to address this problem may involve a full rehabilitation of crowns on many, or even all teeth to re establish a normal alignment of the teeth.  Other times we see an underlying cause that is orthodontic in nature and we need to treat the patient with orthodontics such as braces or Invisalign prior to any restorations.  So, our “cosmetic” options will be determined by the problems we are presented with, and we will always show our patients X-rays, photos, and plaster models to explain our findings and recommendations prior to starting any treatment. If you have any concerns with chipping or wear, give us a call so we can see what options you may have to restore your optimal smile.