Dental Crowns & Bridges in Wenatchee, WA

What is a Crown?

Crowns are common in dental care. A crown, sometimes called a cap, entirely covers your tooth or your dental implant. Crowns become necessary whenever cavities are large enough to merit intervention before the entire tooth is lost. Usually, crowns are attached to teeth through a bonding process utilizing special dental cement.

Procedure

If it is deemed necessary to proceed with a crown, the process will require either two or three visits to complete. While most crowns only need two appointments with your family dentistry in Wenatchee, WA, a third may be necessary to verify the fit is perfect.

Crowning stars with removing the decay within your tooth. With all the decay removed, an impression is made of your tooth. The impression is then delivered to a special lab which creates the restorative device. A short-term device will, for now, take the place of your future device. But don’t worry, the temporary solution will still look like your other teeth, and you will be able to enjoy normal day-to-day activities more so than you are with your missing tooth.

Once the restorative device has arrived at your family dentistry in Wenatchee, WA, we begin the final phase. The crown is fit in your mouth in a comfortable position. We are careful to achieve a precise, indistinguishable fit. Finally, the crown will be cemented, which completes the process. You are then free to enjoy your complete smile.

What is a Bridge?

Sometimes called a fixed or partial denture, bridges are a way of replacing your missing teeth or tooth by conjoining adjacent teeth to your replacement.

Creating your bridge involves some preparation to these adjacent teeth by applying a crown to each. Some structure of adjacent teeth will be removed, in order to create space for your bridge. A special mold of your teeth is sent to our laboratory, and your new bridge is created. In the meantime, a short-term bridge is applied, so that you may continue to function.

Each laboratory is different, with tremendous ranges in quality of services. We only utilize the absolute best labs as part of our commitment to quality of care. It will take approximately two weeks for the bridge to be created. Once we have received the bridge, the temporary one is replaced, and the permanent bridge cemented into place.

Types of Bridges

Porcelain fused to metal (or PFM) is a strong bridge colored like natural teeth. It is extraordinarily strong due to a solid metal core, much sturdier than ceramic-only bridges. Our metal cores are what we call “high noble,” meaning it is composed or almost entirely platinum or gold. The reason we choose high noble cores is because the fit is much better, and there is virtually no risk of allergic reaction or other sensitivity issues arising.

Tooth-colored porcelain is a sort of combination bridge, which has a gold core wrapped in porcelain. Once again, we do not compromise on quality, and insist on only premium porcelain for aesthetic and durability reasons. While many may not reason it, natural teeth are a bit translucent, which these bridges do not offer due to the solid metal core. However, it is a reasonable compromise in exchange for the increased durability. There is also a choice of the bridge’ margin, which in turn determines gum health and lifespan of your new bridge. We utilize porcelain butt margins, which is the most visually pleasing and durable, but also extremely difficult to perform and requires a lot of skill. For this reason, many dentists do not perform them, but this is our default choice.

All-ceramic bridges, or porcelain bridges with a ceramic substrate, are widely considered the most aesthetically pleasing option. This comes at compromised durability. The lack of metal promotes a translucent, natural appearance. This makes them a strong contender for front-of-mouth bridges. Once again, we insist on only the best materials, but regardless, this type of bridge will not have the same level of durability as the aforementioned.

Full gold bridges are made of gold, but of course there are varying quality levels in gold. We insist on high noble metal, which is over two-thirds gold and 3% composed of platinum. These produces a better fit, and reduced risk of allergic reaction. These are ideal for rear teeth at request of the patient. The main benefit is high durability.

Make An Appointment Today

As you can tell, there are many options when it comes to dental crowns and dental bridges, and the best way to determine what’s ideal for you is to consult your family dentist in Wenatchee, WA at Confluence Dental. With our experience and dedication to the best in care, we will ensure the best fit for your health.