Crowns & Bridges
A crown, also called a cap, is placed over a tooth that requires protection (such as a tooth with a large filling or a tooth that has a root canal). The crown restores the tooth and protects it from further damage plus it looks and functions very much like a natural tooth.
For a crown you will require two appointments. At the first appointment you will be given a local anesthetic. The tooth that needs to be restored will be filed down and an impression/image will be taken. This impression/image is sent to a lab to fabricate the crown. Sometimes the dentist may also need to build up the tooth structure and/or place a post to help retain the core underneath the crown. A temporary crown will be placed to protect your tooth until you come back for the crown insert (please remember that a temporary crown does not have the same shape and colour as the final crown). At the second appointment the temporary crown will be removed, and the final crown will be placed and checked to make sure it is the right fit, shape, colour, and bite. If it is, the crown will be cemented in place.
Dental bridges are an option to replace missing teeth. The dentist will examine the health of your gums, teeth, and surrounding bone to evaluate if you are a candidate for a dental bridge.
For the preparation of the dental bridge, you will be numbed as the dentist needs to prepare the teeth required to support the bridge. If the support teeth are decayed or badly broken down, our dentist at Monterey Dental may have to build them back up before they can be used as support teeth for a bridge. Images will be taken and sent to the lab to fabricate the dental bridge by a skilled lab technician so that it precisely fits the prepared teeth. Once the bridge is fabricated, it will be fitted on the teeth that were prepared and will be cemented permanently. Our dentists at Monterey Dental will ensure that it fits well and feels comfortable prior to you leaving our office.
The three predominant choices of restorative materials for the crown and bridge are:
• All-ceramic (all-porcelain)
• Gold
• Porcelain fused to metal.
The material selected is determined by the clinical demands at hand, esthetic demands, strength requirements, material durability, and restorative space available.
Our dental team at Monterey Dental will evaluate your tooth/teeth and discuss the best option for you. We believe that the patient should be apart of the process in decision making.