Dental Crowns and Bridges

Crown-and-bridge systems are trusted solutions to replace missing teeth. Crowns can also repair individual damaged teeth by completely covering and protecting the visible portion. A bridge can replace a few teeth in a row, or it can replace a single tooth. Alternatively, both crowns and bridges can replace missing teeth in their entirety, from crown to root, with the support of dental implants. With his extensive background in these versatile restorative methods, Dr. Ura can fully explain your options for crowns and bridges and help you decide on the best solution for your needs.

Dental Crowns and Bridges Restore Your Smile Beautifully

Missing and damaged teeth can take a toll on your image and confidence, as well as lead to a host of oral health issues. To restore your smile, master dentist Stephen Ura offers high-quality dental crowns and bridges at his practice located in Nashua, NH. All missing teeth, regardless of their location in the mouth, compromise comfortable eating and can impair speech. Missing teeth also allow the remaining teeth to shift, which can negatively alter your bite and create a spiral of problems. It can lead to tooth wear, teeth grinding, temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), in addition to periodontal (gum) problems. Crowns repair damaged teeth by completely covering and protecting the visible portion of the tooth. Bridges replace missing teeth with one or more prosthetic teeth attached to dental crowns. Alternatively, you can also replace missing teeth and their roots with the support of dental implants upon which the crowns or bridges can be built on.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns have multiple uses and options to precisely match your needs. A crown can allow the doctor to repair and preserve a tooth damaged by trauma or decay, instead of having to remove it. Crowns are also an integral part of a traditional bridge (also called a bridge-and-crown system). Finally, a single dental crown can replace a missing tooth when it is attached to a dental implant. This type of restoration replaces an entire tooth from root to crown and is extremely strong and durable. Because they simulate tooth roots, dental implants also help preserve your jawbone to promote good oral health. We offer single-visit crowns and crowns made by expert dental artisians at NuCraft Dental Arts. Single-visit crowns are ideal for convenience, and they look great. However, if you are looking for the highest level of esthetics or function, Dr. Ura may recommend a crown from NuCraft.

Same-day Crowns

CEREC® is our in office CAD/CAM system that allows us to restore a damaged tooth in a single visit. CEREC® is an all-in-one unit that allows us to design and fabricate ceramic dental crowns as well as inlays and onlays. After cleaning and reshaping the healthy portion of your tooth, the doctor will digitally scan it and upload the information to the system’s proprietary software. The milling unit will then produce your dental restoration while you wait. When the restoration is finished, the doctor places it on your tooth and cements it in place.

• Benefits of Same-day Crowns
• Complete treatment in a single visit
• Only one visit means only one injection
• No need to wear a temporary crown

Laboratory Crowns

The procedure for a laboratory crown is a two-step process. After preparing your tooth, Dr. Ura will make an impression and send it to his dental colleagues at NuCraft Dental Arts. He will also take photos so the crown can be matched to the exact shade of your natural teeth. You will wear a provisional (temporary) crown while the lab expertly crafts your restoration. At a future visit Dr. Ura will deliver your final crown(s).

• Benefits of Laboratory Crowns
• Highest level of esthetics
• Custom coloring adds nuance
• Indistinguishable from your natural tooth
• Fabricated by expert CDT ceramists
• Made in the USA using FDA approved materials
• DAMAS certified quality controlled processes.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges replace missing teeth by “bridging” the space. A bridge is a single prosthesis that replaces one or more teeth in a row. It consists of one or more replacement teeth fused together and suspended between two crowns. The crowns are secured to healthy, permanent teeth to hold the bridge in place. You may also have the option of an implant-supported bridge, which uses dental implants instead of the crowns on natural teeth to anchor it. Implant-supported bridges are a more permanent and stable solution than tooth-supported bridges. We can evaluate your candidacy for both types of bridges and help you decide which kind will work best for you.

Traditional Bridges

To begin your bridge, the doctor will first prepare the teeth on either side of the space for crowns and make an impression (cast). The doctor will also use a shade guide to select the right color for your bridge and take photographs for the laboratory so that no one will be able to differentiate the prosthetic from your natural teeth. While your final bridge is being created, you will wear a temporary restoration until your final bridge is delivered.

Benefits of Traditional Bridges

• Improve oral function and comfort
• Improve appearance of smile
• Keep remaining teeth from shifting out of place
• May solve two or more problems with one procedure.

Implant-supported Bridges

The first step in getting an implant-supported bridge is to receive dental implants. This is a multi-step process in itself, which involves an in-depth evaluation and the surgical placement of the implants, followed by a healing period while they integrate with your jaw tissue. Some patients also need to have their jaw augmented with a bone graft to provide a stable base for the implants. After your implants have fused with your jaw, Dr. Ura will attach your custom-designed bridge to them.

Benefits of Implant-supported Bridges

• No need to reduce healthy teeth for crowns
• Self-supporting restoration
• Strongest, most long-lasting solution
• Implants help preserve bone in your jaw

Schedule Your Appointment

Dr. Ura is highly trained and experienced in all aspects of restorative dentistry, as it has long been his main focus. He employs careful treatment planning and proven methods to ensure the predictability and success of his bridge work and crown work. To learn more, please contact us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ura.