Crowns and Bridges
Crowns and bridges are unique ways to repair teeth that are broken, cracked and even missing. We can help enhance your smile and make it look natural again.
(504) 368-7000
Crowns and Bridges
When patients suffer significant damage to the tooth or tooth loss, they want to repair that damage and restore their beautiful smiles. Crowns and bridges can help in this effort. Crowns are tooth-shaped caps that slide over a biological tooth and is bonded to the tooth with dental cement. These restorations are appropriate in cases when the biological teeth can be preserved.
Dental bridges, in contrast, are used when the tooth is too badly damaged to be salvaged. They replace the missing tooth using a pontic (artificial crown) that is held in place by devices that are placed on surrounding teeth. Regardless of whether you get a crown or a dental bridge, you can rest assured that the materials used are designed to look as much like biological tooth enamel as possible and can be custom-designed to fit in with the rest of your smile. Your restoration should not stand out from your other teeth and be obviously artificial.
Your dentist may recommend a dental crown if you have decay a very large cavity that cannot be treated with a smaller filling or if an injury has compromised your tooth. Dental crowns also are placed after a root canal in order to protect the treated tooth from the possibility of breakage. A dental crown is placed over the course of at least two appointments. At the first session, the dentist will remove the decay and a thin layer of enamel to make room for the crown. Then, either a physical or digital impression of the tooth will be taken. That information is then forwarded to the lab that will fabricate your crown. While you are awaiting the permanent crown, you will be fitted with a temporary one so that you will feel more comfortable and confident in the interim. Finally, when the permanent crown is ready, you will return to the dentist’s office to have it bonded to your tooth.
Dental bridges can be used to replace a single missing tooth or a number of missing teeth in a row. There are different designs of dental bridges that are used in different cases. The most common type is a fixed dental bridge, but other designs may be more appropriate in cases when the bridge is used to replace a missing front tooth or if there are only teeth remaining on one side of the gap.
New Orleans Dentists
Dr. Michael Rouhana
DDS
Dr. Rouhana is experienced in the fields of root canals, crowns (caps), bridges, restoration of dental implants, dentures and partials, and full mouth makeovers. He was voted the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Top Dentist by his peers in New Orleans Magazine. Read More
At Westside Dental Group, Dr. Michael Rouhana has dedicated his career to providing you with the very best that dentistry has to offer in a gentle, professional manner.
Our practice has been in the same location in New Orleans, Louisiana for over 20 years, and we keep entire families as patients through many generations!
Common Questions On Crowns and Bridges
Most frequent questions and answers
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that can be made of porcelain fused to metal, metal alone or composite materials. It is used to restore a severely damaged tooth, such as one that has been affected by extensive decay. Dental crowns require a thin layer of enamel to be removed to make room for the crown, which is bonded to the tooth using dental cement.
The cost of dental crowns will depend on a number of factors unique to the patient’s case, such as the location of the tooth and the type of material chosen for the crown. The total cost will also include auxiliary treatments, such as preparation of the tooth and any dental impressions or imaging that are taken. A member of our staff will discuss the anticipated costs of your crown with you in detail at your appointment.
If you have a missing tooth, the most basic treatment option is a conventional dental bridge, which can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple absent teeth in a row. If you do not have any teeth remaining in the arch, then you would need to get a denture in order to restore your smile. Dental implants are also an option for tooth replacement, and they can be used to support a crown, dental bridge or denture. Each of these methods has pros and cons, so you should learn as much as possible about all of your options to ensure that you are choosing the best device for your particular situation.
A dental bridge is an appliance that uses a pontic (prosthetic tooth) or multiple artificial crowns to replace a missing tooth or teeth. The pontic is secured to the teeth adjoining the empty space, which are also known as the abutment teeth. There are different designs of dental bridges, and the design dictates the specifics of how the pontic is attached to the abutment teeth. With a fixed dental bridge, dental crowns are placed on those adjoining teeth to secure the pontic. With a Maryland-style bridge, which is usually placed to restore missing front teeth, the pontic is held in place by tooth-colored metal bands. A cantilever-style dental bridge uses two crowns placed on adjacent teeth and may be useful if there are only remaining biological teeth on one side of the empty space.
Do you need to restore a damaged or missing tooth in order to maintain your beautiful smile? Talk to one of our knowledgeable dental professionals to learn more about your options. Schedule an assessment at our office to learn whether a crown can help you to save your tooth or whether an extraction and subsequent replacement with a dental bridge may be necessary.