Crowns & Bridges
Thanks to advances in science and medicine, people today are living longer than ever before. Of course, this means we’re also demanding more of our teeth, and our Eugene patients need solutions like crowns and bridges to restore function to damaged teeth and replace missing teeth.
The goal of dentistry is to keep your teeth healthy and functional for as long as possible. With dental crowns, we can extend the lifespan of a damaged tooth by placing a “cap” over it to preserve its structure and protect it. Tooth loss is unfortunate, but if and when it occurs, a dental bridge can restore the appearance and function of your smile.
What Does a Dental Crown Do?
A dental crown is designed to cover an entire tooth and encase it in a material like ceramic. This provides a strong new chewing surface so you can use the tooth again, and it also absorbs the pressure for the damaged teeth beneath it.
Dr. Susie Watkins and Dr. Tyler Peterschmidt recommend crowns to:
- A cavity is too large to repair with a filling alone
- A tooth is broken, cracked, or damaged and requires support
- Root canal treatment requires us to place a crown to protect the tooth
- As part of a dental bridge when replacing missing teeth
Steps for Getting a Dental Crown
Dental crowns are often referred to as caps because they fit over a tooth like a little helmet. When designing crowns, we consider all of the materials available, including ceramic, zirconia, E-Max, gold, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM), and porcelain-fused-to-zirconia.
Our dentists will choose the right material based on considerations like the tooth's location, your cosmetic preference, and whether or not you have a tooth grinding habit.
The first step is to alter the tooth's shape slightly to accommodate the material of the crown. This ensures a flush fit against your gum line and a seamless blend with surrounding teeth.
Next, we will use state of the art CAD CAM technology to design and fabricate your new crown, customized to the shape, shade, and size we want. Instead of the tradition 2-3 week wait in a fragile temporary crown, your crown will be fabricated on-site and there won't be any required follow-up appointments. Our Eugene, OR dental office is pleased to offer same day crowns to our patients. If you have any questions about the process just give us a call!
Dental Bridges Replace Missing Teeth
If you suffer from tooth loss, we offer several tooth replacement options to help you. Dental bridges are time-tested restorations that are perfect for replacing one or two teeth missing from the same spot in your mouth.
Most often, a bridge is a three-piece unit consisting of crowns attached to teeth on either side, supporting an artificial tooth that sits in the open space. With the support of the anchor teeth, the bridge restores your beautiful smile and gives you back years of chewing function.
Is a Crown or Bridge Right for You?
Today we have the means to keep your teeth healthy and functional for a lifetime, as long as you commit to properly caring for them. If you want a solution for broken or missing teeth, please call our Eugene, OR dental office to get started.
