Dental Crowns and Bridges
in Phoenix, AZ
Are damaged or missing teeth interfering with your smile? If so, our patient-centered team at Stonecreek Dental Associates may recommend a dental crown or bridge. We use cutting-edge technology and techniques to create durable, natural-looking restorations to restore your smile’s health, function, and beautifully natural appearance. Contact our Phoenix practice to get started today!
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What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that cover weak or damaged teeth to restore their strength, function, and natural appearance. At Stonecreek Dental Associates, we offer the highest quality crown materials, including porcelain, that we can closely match to the color, sheen, and texture of your natural teeth.
The following are some reasons we may recommend a dental crown:
- If more conservative treatments, like dental fillings, are not an option
- If you have a chipped, cracked, broken, or severely decayed tooth
- If you have a weak tooth that is at risk of fracture or breakage
- If you have undergone root canal therapy
- If you need to cover a dental implant to restore a missing tooth
- If you have a tooth that’s severely worn due to constant grinding and clenching (bruxism)
- If you are looking for solutions to improve the color, size, shape, or overall appearance of a tooth
What Are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges are natural-looking restorations that can replace one or several missing teeth in a row, bridging gaps in your smile. They typically consist of artificial teeth (pontics) anchored to crowns placed on natural teeth adjacent to the gap (abutments). Like crowns, dental bridges are made from aesthetic, tooth-colored porcelain, providing a natural-looking solution to complete your smile.
The following are some of the benefits of dental bridges:
- They match your teeth, leaving you with beautifully natural results.
- They fill gaps left by missing teeth, restoring your complete, confident smile.
- They help you enjoy more of your favorite foods and enhance your speech.
- They prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting toward the gap, preserving the alignment of your smile.
- They balance your bite, lowering the risk of periodontal disease, uneven tooth wear, and TMJ pain.
- They are durable, enhancing your smile for many years to come.
What Is the Dental Crown or Bridge Process?
Placing a dental crown starts by shaping the affected tooth to accommodate your restoration. Next, we use cutting-edge technology to capture 3D digital models of your teeth, eliminating the need for messy or gooey impressions. Skilled technicians at our partner lab will use your digital impressions to create your permanent restoration. Meanwhile, a temporary crown will protect your prepared tooth or teeth.
The dental bridge process is similar. We begin by reshaping the teeth neighboring the gap to accommodate your dental crowns, which will serve as anchors for your new restoration. Next, we capture 3D digital models to create your new bridge and place a temporary restoration.
When your custom crown or bridge is ready, you will return to our practice for a final fitting. We will check its fit and color match before bonding it in place. The last step is making any needed adjustments for optimal comfort and function.