Dental Crowns & Bridges

Crowns

Most dentistry looks like dentistry. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.

Where damage to a person's tooth or teeth is extreme, and apparently beyond repair with a filling, we can use all-porcelain or porcelain "fused to gold" crowns to make their smile appear "as new". This is an extremely reliable technique for repairing the most severe of dental problems, even permanently replacing missing teeth to offer a complete smile and a functional bite. We are renowned for our quality of our work and the fantastic changes we make for people using this technology. These treatments are used for a long lasting correction of major dental problems. It is usual for these treatments to last for 15 to 25 years, which is as close to permanent as dental treatment can get.

How long does it take?

Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to our office, usually an hour each time. On the initial visit, we will remove decay and all old filling from the tooth, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown made of composite resin.

On the subsequent visit, which is usually 2 weeks later, we will remove the temporary crown, and then fit and adjust the final crown. Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you have a new beautiful looking tooth.

Key Benefits

• Offers support to misshapen, overfilled or badly broken teeth
• Fixes sensitivity from “Cracked Tooth Syndrome”
• Looks completely natural
• Fixes "smile" and functional chewing problems
• Presents a long-term solution to the problem

Bridges

All of your teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing and in maintaining proper alignment of other teeth. Tooth loss doesn't necessarily have to occur as you age, but if you do lose teeth, they must be replaced to maintain proper function of your mouth. Fortunately, there are options for correcting tooth loss.

Options:

A bridge — a device used to replace missing teeth — attaches artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth, called abutment teeth. Bridges are either permanently attached (fixed bridges), or they can be removable (removable partial denture).

Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth. Removable bridges are attached to the teeth with clasps (usually metal) or by precision attachments.

If you're missing one or more teeth, you may be aware of their importance to your appearance and dental health. Your teeth work together for many daily functions from eating to speaking. With missing teeth, it's difficult to do these things. Missing teeth can and should be replaced. Fixed bridges are a great way to restore your dental health and appearance, especially if the adjacent teeth could use a cosmetic or reinforcing restoration. (If adjacent teeth are untouched a dental implant may be a better choice.)

What exactly is a bridge or fixed partial denture?

A bridge (fixed partial denture) is a device, which fills the gap where teeth are absent. Fixed bridges are bonded into place and can only be removed by a dental professional. Removable bridges, as the name implies, can be taken out and cleaned where fixed bridges need to be flossed under using a floss threader. Fixed bridges offer more stability and are much more comfortable and esthetic than their removable counterparts.

Why do I need a bridge?

Oral functionality and appearance are important reasons for wearing a bridge. A bridge helps support your lips and cheeks so the loss of a back tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older. Missing teeth can cause speech disorders as they are used to make many of the sounds we use to speak clearly.

More importantly, the loss of even a single tooth allows the adjacent and opposing teeth to shift, thus ruining your bite and increasing your chance for TMJ problems.

Dental health is the most important reason for a bridge. Teeth were designed to complement each other. Unusual stresses are placed on the gums and other oral tissues when teeth are missing, causing a number of potentially harmful disorders. Increased risk of gum disease has proven to be one of the worst side effects of missing teeth and can be minimized with a bridge.

How is a bridge attached?

The procedure usually takes two appointments to complete. At the first appointment Dr. Godino will prepare the teeth on either side of the gap by removing a portion of the enamel and dentin.

Since the bridge must be fabricated very precisely to ensure correct bite and to match the opposing tooth, high quality impressions of the teeth are taken and sent to a lab where the bridge will be constructed.

Fixed bridges are typically cemented to the natural teeth next to the space left by the missing tooth. A pontic (false tooth) replaces the lost tooth. Crowns, which are cemented onto the natural teeth, provide support for the bridge. The bridge is essentially a group of crowns attached all together. You cannot floss between the teeth of the bridge but must thread it underneath with floss and a floss threader.

What materials are used?

Our bridges are constructed from only the highest quality of materials. If metal is used under porcelain we will only use a high precious gold and our all-ceramic bridges are made of a core of Zirconia with porcelain baked over it.

How do I take care of my bridge?

A strict regimen of brushing and flossing will keep the bridge and surrounding teeth clean. This is of critical importance as the bridge relies on the neighboring teeth for support.

What other options are available to replacing missing teeth?

In most situations, your best option will be a dental implant. Dr. Godino will evaluate your specific situation to determine what your best and alternative options are.