Dental Crowns and Bridges in Los Gatos

At James Lin, DMD, we intend to catch any dental issue early, but we also understand how common it is for one of your teeth to benefit from a dental crown or a dental bridge. Dental professionals have turned to porcelain crowns for years because of their fit, durability, and natural appearance.

Dr. James Lin may recommend a dental crown when a tooth is more compromised and a filling cannot protect it from fracturing. A local dental lab creates these for you based on a precise impression of your existing tooth. A crown is a porcelain helmet that fits snugly over your weakened tooth. After we fit and cement it, your dental crown may last up to a decade or longer.

5 Ways We Use Dental Crowns

Versatility is another reason Dr. Lin will recommend a dental crown. Five of the most common uses for a crown are:

• To reinforce a tooth with too many cavities
• To fix more significant surface flaws or damaged enamel
• As part of a dental bridge
• To protect a tooth that is weakened after root canal therapy
• As the top part of a dental implant

In most of the above cases, we require two visits to place a dental crown. At the beginning of your first appointment, Dr. Lin will provide local anesthesia to make the procedure more comfortable. Then, Dr. Lin recontours the enamel surfaces to fit the parameters of your proposed dental crown. Next, We take an impression of the prepared tooth, and our local lab uses this mold to fabricate a custom crown that matches Dr. Lin’s crown design. Lastly, a temporary crown will be made and cemented on your tooth to protect it for the time it takes for the lab to create your finished crown.

We are proud to use a local dental lab and may even send you there for color matching in highly esthetic cases. For example, while many people select an all-ceramic dental crown, we may also recommend a crown with porcelain fused to a metal core for extra strength or even porcelain fused to zirconia for a strong and vibrant look.

Once the crown is ready, you’ll return to our dental office for your second appointment. Again, Dr. Lin will check the fit, color, and bite alignment. The last step is when we cement the crown securely in place.

One option to replace missing or extracted teeth is a cemented dental bridge. This is a viable solution when your adjacent teeth are healthy enough to support a false tooth that fills the gap. Dr. Lin prefers porcelain fused to a metal bridge to provide strength so the bridge does not break. As a result, your bridge looks virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

This type of bridge is secured in place with cement, so proper cleaning and maintenance are needed under it. However, dental implants have gained popularity, becoming the gold standard and option of choice when replacing a missing tooth. This is especially true if the neighboring teeth have had minimal dental treatment.

Call Us to Learn More About Dental Crowns and Bridges

If you need tooth repairs, the team at James Lin, DMD, may offer numerous options, explaining each one to help you select what best meets your needs, lifestyle, and budget. The final decision is always yours, and we are always happy to provide you with as much information as you require.

Contact our dental office today to learn more about whether dental crowns and bridges are the right choice for you.