dental veneers, Crowns, & Bridge

A veneer covers only the front surface of your tooth. About 1mm of the enamel on the front of the tooth is prepared to roughen the surface for bonding the veneer. 

If your tooth is basically intact and the restoration is for cosmetic purposes, a veneer may be the best option. Veneers can also be used for minor shape corrections.

• The dentist will make an impression of your prepared tooth by digitally scanning it or using a mold. The image or mold will be sent out to a lab for fabrication.
• Next, you will have a temporary veneer placed on the tooth until the new one is ready.
• When ready, the permanent veneer will replace the temporary one. It will be bonded to the tooth with a special cement and hardened with an ultraviolet light.
• There’s typically minimal movement of the tooth after the veneer is in place. But you may need to wear a night guard to protect the veneer if you grind or clench your teeth at night.

Dental crowns covers the entire tooth.  With a crown, more of the tooth needs to be prepared for the new crown placement. 

If you have a large tooth decay or broken restoration the dentist will remove the decayed/broken part of the tooth before making the crown. In this case, your tooth may need to be built up to support the crown.

If your tooth has a large filling, a root canal, or is very worn or cracked, a crown is likely the best option.

Dental veneers are a very thin layer of porcelain or other materials, about 1-2 millimeter (mm) in thickness, that’s bonded to the front of your existing tooth. They are not as invasive as crowns, because the preparation leaves more of your original tooth intact. Depending on the alignment of your teeth, some veneers don’t need as much grinding of the tooth surface.

Dental crowns are about 2 mm in thickness and covers the whole tooth. It can be all zirconia, porcelain, porcelain fused to a metal alloy (PFM), zirconia, or an all-metal alloy.

Whether a veneer or a crown is right for you will depend on the condition of your teeth and what you’re trying to fix. Common conditions for restoration are:

• Shape of teeth
• Discolored teeth
• Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
• Large decay or weakened teeth
• Misaligned teeth

Bridges are another form of fixed prosthetic dental restoration. Although there are several types of bridges, they all include one or more false teeth called pontics and rely on nearby teeth for support.

Some bridges use dental crowns to anchor themselves in place. One or more crowns attach to teeth on one or both sides of the gap, or a metal framework fulfills this purpose. In any case, bridges allow you to enjoy a full smile after losing one tooth or several that are next to each other. 

By getting a dental bridge, you can prevent healthy teeth from migrating slowly into the gap to fill the empty space. Without a bridge or similar device, this natural tooth movement can cause malocclusion. As with crowns, you have options for the material of your bridge at Supreme Dental.

• The dentist will make an impression of your prepared tooth by digitally scanning it or using a mold. The image or mold will be sent out to a lab for fabrication.
• Next, you will have a temporary crown placed on the tooth until the new one is ready.
• When the permanent crown is ready, the dentist will remove the temporary crown. They’ll then place the permanent crown on your tooth and will adjust it so that it fits correctly and your bite is right. Then they’ll cement the new crown into place.
• Teeth with crowns may have some movement, which can change your bite. If this happens, you’ll need to have the crown adjusted.

Getting regular dental checkups and practicing good dental hygiene are vital for maintaining your veneer or crown and the rest of your teeth.