crowns & bridges

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What are crowns and bridges?

Crowns are ceramic or metal caps that can restore a damaged tooth. If you need an individual crown to restore a damaged tooth, you can get a new custom CEREC crown in just one visit to Judy Mejido DMD PA.

A dental bridge is a tooth replacement. Bridges include a replacement tooth with one crown on each side of it. The crowns fit onto your natural teeth, which gives you a stable and natural-looking prosthetic.

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What is the procedure for getting crowns and bridges?

Depending on whether you’re getting a crown or bridge, you may need one or two appointments. The procedure includes:

Teeth whitening

Prior to getting a crown or bridge, the team at Judy Mejido DMD PA recommends teeth whitening. That is important because ceramic doesn’t stain like your tooth enamel does. To get the perfect match — and keep your smile looking great — whitening your teeth ahead of time makes sense.

Tooth prep

Your dentist prepares your tooth or teeth by removing a small amount of tooth enamel. That creates space for the new crown, allowing it to sit flush with your other natural teeth.

Tooth scanning or impressions

Your dentist takes impressions of your teeth, which usually involves a digital scan. Judy Mejido DMD PA has a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan machine on-site, which produces the most detailed impressions possible with no messy impressions.

CEREC crown fabrication

If you’re getting a CEREC crown, the on-site milling unit produces your new crown right away. With traditional crowns, you wear a temporary crown and wait two weeks for your permanent crown.

Bridge fabrication

If you’re getting a bridge, your dentist sends your tooth impressions to a dental lab where they fabricate your new bridge. You’ll typically wear a temporary bridge for about two weeks, which protects your teeth until the permanent bridge is ready.

New bridge placement

When your permanent bridge is ready, you’ll come back to Judy Mejido DMD PA. Your dentist removes the temporary bridge and secures the new bridge by affixing the crowns on your support teeth.

Your new crown or bridge functions like your natural tooth, so you can eat normally once you have the permanent restoration.

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How do crowns and bridges compare with dental implants?

Both have advantages. Crowns and bridges are less expensive, but they’re also less stable than dental implants. Dental implants are permanent, but crowns and bridges can last many years with good care.

One significant advantage of a bridge versus dental implants is that you can get a bridge even if you don’t have enough healthy jawbone to support an implant.

For crowns and bridges, call the experts at Judy Mejido DMD PA or click the online booking tool.