South Orange, NJ
Restore Your Smile With Crown and Bridge Restorations
Dental crowns are ideal for restoring a tooth’s strength and appearance when it is damaged, worn, or weakened by tooth decay, making fillings insufficient. While fillings are suitable for minor repairs, crowns offer a stronger, more long-lasting solution for severely damaged teeth. A crown fully encases the portion of the tooth above the gum line, essentially becoming its new outer surface. This restoration not only strengthens the tooth but also improves its appearance, ensuring your dental health and smile are preserved for the long term.
Unlike fillings, which are directly applied to the affected area, dental crowns are custom-made in a lab using a tooth impression. This allows a dental technician to analyze your bite and jaw movements, creating a crown that fits seamlessly into your mouth, restoring natural function. Crowns can be made from materials like ceramic, porcelain, or metal fused with porcelain. Porcelain crowns are often preferred due to their strength and ability to closely mimic the translucency of natural teeth. These crowns are ideal for improving both the cosmetic appearance and function of a compromised tooth, as well as strengthening teeth after a root canal treatment, correcting bite issues, closing gaps between teeth, or replacing missing teeth as part of a bridge or over an implant.
A permanent fixed bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by using artificial crowns to fill the gap. In modern dentistry, dental implants with crowns are often the preferred solution for missing teeth. However, when implants aren’t an option, a dental bridge can serve as an excellent alternative.
Bridges look and feel completely natural, enhancing your smile’s appearance, restoring full functionality, and helping maintain your facial structure. They also alleviate stress on your bite. When teeth are missing, the remaining teeth may shift, which can cause further dental issues, including the loss of additional teeth. A fixed bridge prevents this movement and stabilizes your bite. Bridges can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials, and are bonded to surrounding teeth for support.
With proper care, a well-made dental crown or bridge can last for many years. The key to their longevity is maintaining the health of the supporting teeth, gums, and bone. Regular flossing and dental checkups will help ensure your restorations last as long as possible.
If you’re self-conscious about your smile due to chipped, cracked, broken, decayed, worn, or missing teeth, porcelain crowns and bridges can restore the health and appearance of your smile. These restorations not only enhance your smile but also protect your teeth from further decay and damage. To explore your options for crown and bridge treatments or to schedule an appointment at The Art of Smile Dental, contact us today.
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a cap placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. It is often recommended when a tooth has a large filling that exceeds the natural tooth structure, or if the tooth has undergone root canal therapy. Crowns can also be used for cosmetic reasons to improve the appearance of a tooth.
Dental crowns can be applied in various ways. They can be placed over a damaged tooth to restore its function and protect the existing structure. Crowns can also be attached to dental implants to replace missing teeth, or used as part of a dental bridge for added support.
Caring for dental crowns is easy – they can be brushed and flossed just like natural teeth, without requiring special treatment.
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a solution for replacing one or more missing teeth by "bridging" the gap left behind. This restoration can be secured using abutment crowns on either end of the gap, or through permanently installed precision metal mechanisms. At The Art of Smile, we custom design every aspect of your dental bridge to ensure it looks natural and functions seamlessly with your existing teeth. Whether for aesthetic reasons or to restore full chewing ability, dental bridges offer a durable and reliable solution for missing teeth.
How Do Temporary Dental Crowns Function?
When preparing for a dental crown, your dentist will shape the tooth to create an accurate impression for the permanent crown. During the time between the impression and the final crown placement, your tooth may be exposed and vulnerable. To protect it, a temporary dental crown will be placed.
At your next appointment, the temporary crown will be removed, and your dentist will secure the permanent crown or bridge in place, ensuring a perfect fit.
Why Consider Dental Crowns or Bridges?
Dental crowns and bridges provide both cosmetic and functional benefits. Beyond enhancing the appearance of your smile, they help maintain proper bite alignment and prevent surrounding teeth from shifting into the gap left by a missing tooth. This helps preserve the integrity of your jaw structure and supports your overall oral health.
These restorations also improve functionality, making it easier to eat, speak, and smile with confidence. If left untreated, missing or damaged teeth can lead to more serious issues, such as gum disease, tooth decay, and bone loss.
