A cracked, heavily filled, or root-canal-treated tooth often needs more structural support than a filling can provide — our Dental Crowns And Bridges process starts with a digital impression so the fit is right the first time.
Every Smile Center Dentistry office offering Dental Crowns And Bridges is held to the same four standards, verified before the office ever joins our network.
A digital scanner captures the exact shape needed for your crown or bridge, replacing the old putty-tray impression.
Zirconia, e.max, and porcelain-fused-to-metal each have different strength, appearance, and cost tradeoffs — we'll walk through them clearly.
Heavily damaged teeth sometimes need a post-and-core buildup before a crown can be placed securely.
If a crown or bridge doesn't fit right, adjustment is covered within the warranty period at no extra charge.
Here's the range of Dental Crowns And Bridges our Buzzards Bay team handles most, described the way we'd explain it chairside rather than in marketing language.
Zirconia is highly durable and well-suited for back teeth that handle heavy chewing forces. This tends to be our go-to recommendation for molars and premolars.
It's slightly less impact-resistant than zirconia, which factors into where we recommend using it. We'll walk through the esthetic-versus-strength tradeoff for your specific tooth.
PFM crowns combine a metal substructure with a porcelain outer layer, offering a proven, durable option at a lower cost than all-ceramic choices. Cost tends to be lower than zirconia or e.max for comparable durability.
We assess whether the anchor teeth are strong enough to support a bridge before recommending this option over an implant. Bridges are typically completed in two visits with a temporary in between.
This step is assessed case by case, not applied automatically to every crown. The buildup is usually completed at the same visit as crown preparation.
We'll tell you honestly if a repair will realistically hold up, rather than patching something that needs full replacement. Replacement is recommended when the underlying tooth or fit has changed significantly.
Here's exactly what to expect, start to finish, for Dental Crowns And Bridges at any of our affiliated offices.
Describe the damaged tooth or gap and we'll schedule an exam and X-ray, often within the same week.
You'll understand the tradeoffs before choosing a material.
You'll see the full cost before starting, and a temporary crown or bridge protects the tooth while the permanent piece is made.
We confirm fit and appearance before considering the case complete.
These are unedited, from patients who've actually been through Dental Crowns And Bridges treatment with us in the past year.
“They walked me through zirconia versus e.max for my case and I ended up choosing based on which tooth was actually visible when I smile.”
“Digital impression meant no more gagging on that awful putty tray from my last dentist. Fit was perfect on the first try too.”
“My old bridge was failing and they gave me an honest comparison between repairing it and just replacing it outright.”
“Post-and-core buildup after my root canal made sense once they showed me the X-ray. Crown has held up great since.”
“PFM crown on a back molar was the practical, affordable choice and they didn't push the pricier options on me.”
These are the questions Buzzards Bay patients ask most before booking Dental Crowns And Bridges.
Zirconia is very durable and good for back teeth; e.max offers superior esthetics for front teeth; PFM is a proven, lower-cost option combining metal and porcelain.
With good care, crowns and bridges typically last ten to fifteen years, sometimes longer depending on material and bite forces.
Not every crown needs this step; it depends on how much natural tooth remains.
It depends on the health of the neighboring teeth and your long-term goals — we'll compare both options honestly.
If the underlying fit or tooth structure has changed significantly, replacement is usually the more durable choice.
Some offices offer same-day crown options; ask if that applies to your specific case.
We can usually confirm same-week availability for Dental Crowns And Bridges before you even finish describing your situation.
We provide Dental Crowns And Bridges to Buzzards Bay patients with material options explained clearly, not defaulted to whatever's most profitable. If you're comparing a bridge to an implant, the assessment visit is the right place to ask both questions.
