Crowns & Bridges

A crown is a dental restoration that covers the whole visible surface of a tooth which cannot be repaired with filling material. The tooth may be cracked, broken, or have a large area of decay. The crown, made of porcelain fused to a metal core for strength, or of all porcelain for a front tooth, is a way to actually conserve the vital portion of the tooth below the gum line.

Dr. Harty and Dr. Wilson have been saving damaged teeth and beautifying smiles with crowns for more than 20 years. If you need a crown, we’ll begin by numbing your mouth so that you are comfortable throughout the procedure. Then we’ll prep the damaged tooth, trimming down one-to-two millimeters of the top and sides of the surface so that the crown may be fitted over it.

In many cases, we can use CEREC technology to make your new tooth at our office. There is no need for a temporary crown or a return appointment. Your permanent crown is cemented into place in one visit.

If a traditional crown is needed, we’ll take impressions of the prepped tooth and send them to our lab. In several weeks, we’ll have you back to have your precision-made crown bonded permanently.

You’ll brush and floss the crown just like your natural teeth. The area where it meets the gum is called the margin. Proper care at the margin with extra brushing will ensure that your crowned tooth stays healthy.

A bridge is a method of replacing a missing or lost tooth. Bridges are sound, conventional dentistry, and also useful when a patient is not a good candidate for a dental implant. The procedure is similar to a crown. We create an artificial tooth, which is anchored to crowns on your natural teeth on either side of the space.

Crowns and bridges are long-term restorations. While we cannot guarantee that yours will last for the rest of your life, with good home care 15 to 20 years is a realistic expectation.