Bridges & Crowns
Improve Your Quality of Life
A Beautiful, Functional Smile is Within Reach
Enjoy your smile again with a functioning smile that’s expertly produced with a crown or bridge procedure.
Dr. Ellison uses the latest technology to collect all the data necessary to help plan your restorative case. Digital x-rays, 3D mapping, models, and photographs prove valuable to bring all components of your case together.
Porcelain Crowns
One of the biggest concerns we hear from patients is what their teeth will look like when a procedure is complete. Dr. Ellison not only focuses on using the best dental technology in every treatment, but she encourages patients to opt for the most natural look and feel when it comes to restorative dentistry. Not only will this bring you back to an optimal level of health, but will give you a surge of confidence.
Our teeth undergo a lot of wear and tear. From eating to exposure to the elements, and the off-chance of injury, our teeth really take the hit when it comes to our daily lifestyles. In addition to cavities and normal dental issues, infections can come out of the blue and wreak havoc on us in the form of severe tooth pain. In this case, a root canal may be recommended. This procedure can leave the tooth open and fragile, requiring additional strengthening from a dental crown. Dental crowns, or caps, strengthen your natural tooth by covering the fragile parts and protecting the rest of the tooth from decay or damage.
Today, dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials and can be custom-fit for one tooth or multiple teeth, depending on your unique dental needs. They can also be used in addition to dental implants to fill a larger space or to give your smile a stronger, more supportive foundation.
Dr. Ellison will typically recommend restorative dentistry be performed in two separate appointments. During the first visit, your natural teeth are prepped to receive the dental crown or bridge. This involves a thorough cleaning and exam by the dentist. Then, your crown will be custom-made out of porcelain to fit over your tooth perfectly and comfortably. Because the custom crowns can take a couple of weeks to make, a temporary crown is placed so you can go back to your daily activities without pain.
After your crown is created, our team will contact you to come back for your second appointment. Dr. Ellison will examine the look and fit of the dental crown before securing it firmly over your tooth. Minor adjustments can be performed to reach optimal comfort, before doing a final polish of the tooth.
Porcelain Bridges
In severe restoration cases, you may need more than one porcelain crown. In these situations, porcelain bridges may be recommended to give you the best dental health and smile. Porcelain bridges are used when a gap cannot be corrected with a single implant. Dental crowns are placed on each tooth on each side of the gap (typically called abutments). These two crowns work together to support an artificial tooth, called a pontic. Bridges are a great way to provide added support to your mouth and can give you comfort for the day-to-day. However, just like our natural teeth, these bridges can wear over time and may need correction later on.
Implant-Retained Bridges
Dental implants are one of the best solutions to dental issues caused by missing or lost teeth. Because these are placed using titanium rods or screws, they are the sturdiest option for your teeth and can last forever! Over time, the implant will fuse to your jaw and acts much like a natural tooth. This provides a much sturdier and more supportive alternative to traditional abutments or bridges.
You may feel overwhelmed by the options you have for fixing your smile and regaining your confidence. Dr. Ellison can put you at ease! With her expertise and dedication to her patients’ comfort, the best plan of action will be presented to you before moving forward. You can relax knowing you have an incredible dental team in Houston on your side. See more of our cosmetic dentistry treatment options.
Hear From our Patients
Bridge & Crown FAQs
When a tooth is missing, it allows the teeth around it to shift which can cause additional issues with the bite, issues with chewing and keeping the remaining teeth clean. In addition, the missing tooth or teeth can affect the ability to chew and eat which as we get older, the ability to nourish our bodies is critical to our longevity. Replacing a single missing tooth when you have plenty of other teeth and plenty of bone is very important and much more beneficial than waiting until you have multiple missing teeth or lack of bone and no longer have the option of doing a permanently placed bridge or implants that can be cemented in and not taken in and out. The only option then becomes having removable dentures or partial dentures which never have the same stability as your natural teeth.
There are many factors that go into how long crowns and bridges last. The best long-term plan for all dental work is to make sure that you are getting your teeth cleaned at least every 6 months and getting a check-up on a regular basis to prevent new decay around and underneath any dental work that would cause it to fail. How well you care for your teeth and dental work is the biggest single factor in determining their longevity. Occasionally, a crown or bridge can break and have to be replaced. However, I have patients that have had crowns since 1993, they are still like new, and they come in regularly to have their teeth cleaned and have not gotten any other cavities since then either.
A crown goes around the outside of the tooth to protect it from breaking further. The nerve of the tooth is in the middle of the tooth. You only need a root canal when the nerve is infected or if the tooth was broken or hit and damaged the nerve which could cause it to need a root canal. All teeth that have crowns or bridges around the outside of the teeth do not require root canals.
Reviews
Dr. Ellison is the kind of dentist I’ve always wanted and now have. I always get treated like I'm her only patient. I’ve had my teeth cleaned and 2 crowns. Very reasonably priced and superb service. Actually fun! It’s changed my feelings about going to the dentist.
-TW
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