Crowns and Bridges
Crowns
A crown, sometimes called a “cap” is a tooth-like cover that fits over a carefully prepared existing tooth that has been damaged by decay, broken, badly stained or mis-shaped. It is generally used to provide a surface over your natural tooth to protect and strengthen it. Crowns are versatile in that they can also help correct cosmetic problems.
There are many kinds of crowns, including those made of gold, porcelain boned to metal or porcelain.
Placing a gold crown
On your first visit, Dr. Zheng first will anesthetize the area to be treated. Next, Dr. Zheng will carefully shape the tooth with the handpiece to allow the crown sufficient space for a proper fit. Finally, we take an impression of the teeth and fit the tooth involved with a temporary crown to protect them until your gold crown is ready. The lab will use the impression to create a crown that precisely fits your tooth.
On your next visit, the temporary crown is removed and the gold crown is cemented onto the tooth.
All Porcelain Crown
We're very proud to offer you CEREC 3DTM, the world's most advanced dental restoration system. CEREC 3DTM (Ceramic REConstruction) allows us to custom fabricate tooth-colored, lifelike porcelain crowns in a single appointment.
CEREC 3DTM uses Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. Dr. Zheng will first prepare and shape the tooth. Late, a reflective powder will be applied to the prepared tooth. Dr. Zheng will then take a digital image using a special optical camera, and the tooth's exact dimensions will be directly recorded into the CAD/CAM computer. No need to take impressions!
After carefully design the crown, Dr. Zheng will select a strong ceramic material that is matched to your tooth color. This material will be placed into a milling machine in our office, and in just a few minutes, it will be shaped into a customer-fitted porcelain crown. In the final step, Dr. Zheng will bond your new crown in place.
The advantages of CEREC 3DTM technology are obvious: Because it provides extremely accurate restorations, only a minimal amount tooth preparation is required, leaving more of the healthy tooth structure intact. The strong ceramic material is matched to your tooth color, translucent like natural enamel, and biocompatible. It is unaffected by heat and cold, you'll be able to enjoy hot cold food without sensitivity.
When you want to improve your smile, all porcelain crowns are a beautiful and natural- looking choice. Dr. Zheng has been using CEREC 3DTM technology for years and has produced a countless beautiful smiles. Call our office if you considering all porcelain crowns, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Bridges
A bridge is a dental appliance that replaces one or more natural missing teeth, thereby "bridging" the space between two teeth. Fixed bridges are cemented into place next to teeth.
A bridge maintains a stable bite and restores your beautiful smile. It can also prevent a chain reaction of problems including:
- Shifting teeth
- Difficulty keeping teeth free of plaque and bacteria
- Loss of bone in the jaw
- Difficulty chewing
- Grinding and clenching
- Pain in the jaw joint, the TMJ
A tooth colored bridge may be made of both porcelain and metal, or, may be made entirely of porcelain.
In the past, porcelain bridges were always built upon a metal core. That was the only way they could have enough strength to withstand the tremendous biting forces that exerted on all of your teeth.
Recent breakthroughs in adhesives, combined with the development of strong porcelain materials, allow us to make bridges entirely out of porcelain. All-porcelain bridges maintain a translucency that makes them hard to tell from natural teeth. Without metal, the problem of a dark line at the edge of gums is eliminated. This allows us to place the edge of the bridge above the gumline, and that’s healthier for your teeth and gums.
To determine if a bridge is right for you, we will perform a thorough examination to make sure that surrounding teeth are healthy and can provide a strong foundation for a bridge. We will also talk with you about the best type bridge for your situation.
