Crowns

Dental Crowns in San Antonio, TX

What are dental crowns?

A crown is a restoration that is made to cover the entire tooth. A crown will improve the strength and looks of the supporting tooth. The use of filling material is not advisable because the filling is unsupported. What are the reasons for a dental crown? There are multiple reasons why teeth need crowns. Most of the reasons are related to the strength of a tooth. The following items might be reasons why a crown(s) was needed:

Fractured or broken tooth.
An excessive amount of decay.
Tooth has large filling with decay and marginal breakdown of old filling material.
The tooth has been treated with a root canal.
Tooth has existing crown that has failed because of decay around its margins and underneath.
Improve your smile.

Crown Treatment appointments in our Southside Family Dental Center - Dr. Deborah Diaz- Murphy

The first appointment is used to prepare or shape the tooth. An impression is made of the tooth and the opposing teeth. A temporary crown is made and cemented in place. The second appointment is scheduled. The temporary crown is removed at the second appointment, and the crown is fitted, adjusted, and cemented into place. Expectations The length of time a crown will function varies. The condition of the supporting tooth, the patient's oral hygiene, diet, and many other factors will affect the time of service. Materials Crowns are made to either be tooth-colored, gold or silver. The tooth-colored crowns are used to try to create a natural look. There are variations to these norms, and there are specific reasons why one material might be recommended.

A crown is to restore your teeth in the best way possible. The investment you place now in your mouth is important. It will serve you well in the long run. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Request an appointment for our dental crowns, and to learn more about them, call our office today in San Antonio, TX.

Fixed Dental Bridges Work in San Antonio, TX

What is a fixed dental bridge?

A bridge is a restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth. Crowns are used on the teeth in front of and behind the missing tooth to support the false tooth. This entire restoration is cemented onto those supporting teeth. What are the reasons for a dental bridge? There are multiple reasons to replace missing teeth, but it can be narrowed down to three:

Migration: The teeth surrounding a vacant area in the mouth, including those above or below, will move into that open area. The position that these teeth move into is unnatural for them and can cause them to develop problems, leading to tooth loss in extreme cases.
Function: Teeth in every mouth part are designed for particular functions. If there is an area with missing teeth, that area cannot function properly. The result is for other teeth to assume the added work they were not designed or intended. This added work can create problems that might cause additional teeth to need treatment or extraction.
Appearance: This is the most obvious reason patients think of. The state-of-the-art techniques and materials we use result in a very natural look.

Treatment appointments

The first appointment is used to prepare or shape the supporting teeth for their crown. An impression is made of the prepared teeth and the opposing teeth. A temporary bridge is made and cemented. The second appointment is to remove the temporary bridge, then fit, adjust and cement the bridge. The length of time a bridge will function varies. The condition of the supporting teeth, the patient's oral hygiene, diet, and many other factors will affect the time of service. Materials Bridges are made to either be tooth-colored, gold or silver. The tooth-colored bridges are used to try to create a natural look. There are variations between these two types, and there are specific reasons why one material might be recommended.

A fixed bridge is designed to restore your mouth to its natural conditions as before you lost the tooth (teeth) possible. If you have been missing the tooth (teeth) for many years and have become accustomed to not having it, the importance of replacing it might seem small. That is not true, and it is very important to replace missing teeth to help preserve other teeth and allow you to function properly, as soon as possible. Your teeth may shift with time if you don't do anything about it.

Dental Implants are a good alternative. You might be a candidate for getting an implant(s) to replace missing teeth. An implant is a metal device that is placed in the bone. The crown is then attached to the implant. An implant will allow you to replace the missing tooth without using adjacent teeth to support the false tooth. The results are great, and the cost is coming very close to that of fixed bridges.