Crowns and Bridges
When your teeth are healthy, it’s easy to take for granted all the ways we depend on them. But when something goes wrong, and a tooth is damaged or lost, it’s all we can think about.
That’s when you need to turn to the professional team at Elgin Family Dental; we can resolve your problem with high-quality restorations like crowns and bridges so you can get back to enjoying a beautiful, healthy smile again.
For over 40 years, friends and neighbors in Elgin and surrounding areas have turned to us for durable, natural-looking dental restorations. Dr. Carl and Dr. Scott have the skills and experience needed to evaluate your needs and explain their treatment options and recommendations so you can make confident, informed decisions about your care.
Versatile Esthetic Crowns
If a tooth is severely damaged or you have previous fillings, we typically recommend a crown. A crown surrounds your tooth like a football helmet to protect it from chewing forces that might lead to fracture, restore its strength, function, and esthetics.
We choose crowns made using e-max or zirconia, both of which closely resemble the appearance of a natural tooth and are strong and durable enough to stand up to day-to-day wear. Once we place a crown, only you will know that you have had any work done.
Many conditions can exist that make crowns your best option to protect your oral health and restore function:
- Tooth decay that compromises a tooth to the extent that a filling alone will not be strong enough.
- A general rule would be if there is more filling than there is tooth to support the filling, a crown is recommended.
- To replace large existing silver amalgam fillings that are showing evidence of pending fractures.
- Almost every tooth that has had root canal therapy because of weakened tooth structure and because the loss of blood supply to the tooth makes it more brittle.
- To restore a dental implant.
- Since dental crowns hide the tooth beneath it, we can also use them for esthetic purposes to conceal a tooth that is severely stained or poorly proportioned and restore harmony to your smile.
Fixed Dental Bridges
There’s no question that tooth loss is challenging to live with. Not only are you self-conscious about the gap in your smile, but you may also have trouble eating and speaking comfortably.
- Dental bridges are often used to replace missing teeth, particularly when dental implants are not possible.
- A dental bridge is fixed and non-removable. It consists of an artificial tooth that sits in the space and two crowns attached to adjacent teeth. This prevents shifting of these teeth into the space and restores chewing function.
- Bridges often eliminate the need for “removable” partial dentures which are often hard to keep clean, maintain, and can be lost or broken.
- It requires a commitment to keep dental bridges clean and prevent gum disease. You can easily remove plaque and food particles from around and under the bridge using floss threaders and small brushes.
Call Elgin Family Dental for a Consultation
If you are dealing with missing or damaged teeth and aren’t sure what to do next, please call our office to arrange an appointment with Dr. Carl or Dr. Scott. They will evaluate your needs and explain which treatment is best for you and how it will benefit your long-term oral health. When you understand your options, you can make confident decisions about the direction of your treatment.
We look forward to helping you achieve the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve!
