What are Dental Crowns?

As we age, many of us find ourselves with teeth that are no longer structurally sound. Root canals, lost fillings, decay below a filling, chipping and cracking of the enamel are all things that can lead to large scale defects in a tooth's surface. When the entire surface of the tooth is a problem, but the root system is intact, a crown might be just what the dentist orders. Dental crowns cover the entire visible surface of your affected tooth and add strength, durability and tooth stability. Crowns can be made of gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials.

Dr. Klein will usually be able to spot problem areas in your mouth that might lead to tooth damage and a need for crowns.

What Is the Process for Getting a Dental Crown?

During the first visit for getting your dental crown, Dr. Klein will prepare the affected tooth. Preparation involves recontouring the tooth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over it. Often, a preliminary restoration of your tooth may be needed. To stabilize your tooth, a resin build-up or post/build-up will first be placed prior to placing a crown due to the loss of original tooth structure. Next, Dr. Klein will make an impression of the tooth and a dental laboratory will create the crown. You will typically leave the office with a temporary crown to wear while the permanent crown is being made - this takes about two weeks. The permanent crown is then cemented onto your tooth. Typically, only two visits are required for this procedure. Tooth crowns usually last ten to fifteen years.

Dental Bridges

What is a dental bridge?

A dental bridge is a false tooth, known as a pontic, which is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. The two crowns holding it in place that are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed bridges cannot be taken out of your mouth as you might do with removable partial dentures.Bridges can reduce your risk of gum disease, help correct some bite issues and even improve your speech. Bridges require your commitment to serious oral hygiene, but will last as many ten years or more.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Bridges?

Bridges can:

• Restore your smile
• Restore your ability to properly chew and speak
• Maintain the shape of your face
• Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
• Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position

Overview of dental bridge procedure

Dr. Klein will prepare your teeth on either side of the space for the false tooth. You will be given a mild anesthetic to numb the area, and Dr. Klein will prepare the abutment teeth (teeth on either side of the space). Preparation involves recontouring the teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for the thickness of the crown. Often, a preliminary restoration of the abutments may be needed. To stabilize your tooth, a resin build-up may first be placed due to the loss of original tooth structure. Dr. Klein will then make an impression, which will serve as the model from which the bridge, false tooth and crowns will be made by a dental laboratory. A temporary bridge will be placed for you to wear while your bridge is being made until your next visit. This temporary bridge will serve to protect your teeth and gums.

On your second appointment, the temporary bridge will be removed. Your new permanent bridge will be fitted and checked and adjusted for any bite discrepancies. Your new bridge will then be cemented to your teeth.