Crowns and Bridges in Wheat Ridge, CO

Dental crowns and bridges are very resourceful restorations that work to improve the appearance of your smile and restore oral functions. At Trailhead Dental in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, we use superior-quality materials and the latest technology to create and place your dental crown or bridge. If you are missing a tooth and need a bridge or have a broken or weak tooth and require a crown, we help you overcome these inconveniences with our fixed restorations.

What Are Crowns and Bridges?

A dental crown (or “cap”) is a type of dental restoration that can be used to rebuild a single tooth that has been damaged or that can be used to improve the appearance of a single tooth. Crowns can conceal inadequacies, repair damage, or strengthen compromised teeth. A crown can also be attached to an implant for the purpose of replacing a single missing tooth. Dental crowns are made from ceramic, porcelain, resin, metal (usually gold), or porcelain-fused-to-metal and are secured over the teeth impaired surfaces. Each material has slightly different properties that can affect appearance, durability, and cost. Crowns are also utilized to cover dental implants, the latest tooth restoration solutions.

A “bridge” is another type of dental restoration that is used primarily to replace a missing tooth by bridging across the missing space and attaching to the teeth next to it. In other words, bridges are multiple connected crowns.

Bridges can also be attached to implants for the purpose of replacing 3-4 missing teeth.

Because bridges are connected crowns, they will require more attention during oral hygiene because there is a little space under the middle unit that can collect food and predispose the area to decay. Since they replace several teeth, and not just one, bridges will also require particular attention to material selection and design to prevent mechanical complications in the long run.

Benefits of Crowns and Bridges

Improved Chewing

It can be pretty challenging to eat your food comfortably if there is damage or loss of one or more teeth. When you start avoiding healthy foods, it may lead to nutritional deficiencies in the long run. A crown or bridge appliance will help reinstate your oral functions.

Stronger Teeth

Crowns are primarily used to protect and stabilize fragile teeth that have become weak due to cracks, root canal procedures, trauma, or extensive fillings.

No More Pain

An impaired tooth can be very painful. A crown will help protect the tooth and, as a result, minimize the pain and sensitivity.

Improved Appearance

Even a minor defect in your teeth can make you feel uncomfortable. Crowns and bridges play a significant role in restoring your appearance and helping you feel happy about your smile.

The Procedure for Crown and Bridges

The procedure for dental crowns involves numbing the area, filing down and shaping the remaining tooth, and then capturing an image of the shaped tooth with either conventional impression “goop” or with an intra-oral digital scanner. That image is then used to create a stone model of your tooth, upon which the crown can be designed and fabricated. Despite the advances in technology, this process usually takes 2 visits to ensure the ideal fit and appearance of your dental crown.

The affected tooth, to be crowned, is first contoured and filed down to make room for the new crown. An intra-oral digital scan or impression of the prepared tooth will then be captured. This scan/impression is then used to create a stone model of your tooth, upon which the crown can be designed and fabricated. We will make sure that your new crown blends in with your existing teeth. Despite the advances in technology, this process usually takes 2 visits to ensure the ideal fit and appearance of your dental crown. Once your crown is ready, it will be attached over the prepared tooth after ensuring its correct bite and fit.The dental bridge procedure is also reasonably easy and painless, and is similar to those of dental crowns. The adjacent teeth that support the bridge will be contoured and filed down to secure the crowns. An intra-oral digital scan or impressions of your teeth are then taken to manufacture your bridge restoration, and when ready, they are cemented using dental adhesives.

Crown and Bridge Specialist?

As a prosthodontist, Dr. Leong is an expert in the materials, the design principles, the fabrication methods, and the clinical procedures involved with using crowns and bridges to improve the look, function, and longevity of your smile. His attention to both the technical detail as well as to patient concerns will ensure both a beautiful result and a great dental experience

To learn more about our crown & bridge restorations, visit the Trailhead Dental office at 4350 Wadsworth Blvd Suite 360, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. You can also reach Dentist in Wheat Ridge, CO at (720) 242-6803.