Crowns
Crowns, occasionally called “caps”, provide structural and functional support to a weakened tooth. A crown sits on top of a tooth like a hat, covering all surfaces of tooth structure. It is a more extensive reconstruction than a filling, and the procedure and the materials used are different. Crowns at our office are made out of tooth colored zirconia, porcelain, or gold.
A crown may be necessary when your tooth has been broken, worn down, or otherwise undergone extensive damage that prevents the remaining tooth structure from sustaining a filling. (We are no longer doing single visit crowns.)
Dental Crown Over Molar
Fillings
A small cavity can be filled in with a white composite resin, which serves to protect your healthy tooth structure from further damage from decay.
Bridges
A dental bridge is an alternative to a dental implant. Effectively, a crown is placed on a strong supporting tooth on either side of a gap, and the whole unit is connected. In this way they “bridge” a gap in your teeth, serving to restore function to your bite and support your jawbone. These can be a quicker alternative to dental implants, and may represent a good solution for many people who are missing teeth.
Dental Bridge Between Two Teeth