Dental Crowns And Bridges In Houston, TX
Dr. Patel and Dr. Vu at Next Care Dental Houston provide a comprehensive range of restorative dentistry services, including dental crowns and bridges in Houston, TX. Depending on your specific preferences, we customize the shade and design of these restorations to perfectly match your natural teeth. This way, we can help restore the functions of your teeth and smile aesthetics.
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Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are protective coverings that are placed over damaged, decayed, or weakened teeth to reinforce the remaining tooth structure. Additionally, they also provide long-lasting protection against further damage, preserving your natural teeth for as long as possible. These restorations can address multiple dental issues, such as severely decayed, damaged, broken, fractured, or root-canal-treated teeth.
Our professionals design customized dental crowns in Houston, TX, using durable materials like porcelain, metal, or a combination of both. Apart from restoring the functions of your teeth, a crown also enhances the cosmetic appeal of your smile. With proper care and oral hygiene maintenance, these restorations can last for several years, giving you a healthy and confident smile.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge offers a prosthetic replacement for adjacent missing teeth. It comprises one or a few more artificial teeth called pontics, anchored in place by adjacent natural teeth or dental implants. The tooth-shaped caps that cover the supporting teeth are known as abutments. Unlike removable dentures, it provides a fixed replacement for missing teeth, restoring your oral health and functionality.
At our Houston, TX, facility, we offer custom-fabricated dental bridges designed to mimic the functions and aesthetics of your natural teeth. They improve various oral functions, allowing you to bite, chew, and speak more comfortably. We also ensure that the bridge aligns with your natural bite so that it does not disturb the alignment of your teeth.
Question About Dental Crowns & Bridges
Procedure of Dental Crowns and Bridges
During your initial assessment, our dentist will examine your damaged or missing teeth to determine the best type of restoration for your oral needs. The procedure for crowns and bridges is comfortable and generally requires two visits. In the first visit, we will trim a thin layer of the enamel to make room for the desired restoration. Our dentist will anesthetize your teeth before the procedure to avoid pain and discomfort.
After preparing your teeth, we will take dental impressions and send them to a lab. Once the crown or bridge is ready, our dentist will evaluate its fit before bonding it to the prepared teeth. Within two appointments, you will be ready to smile confidently and enjoy your favorite foods again!
FAQs about Dental Crowns & Bridges
1) My tooth has a large filling that just cracked. Why do I need a crown instead of another filling?
When a tooth is more filling than natural enamel, it loses its structural integrity. Every time you bite down, a large filling acts like a wedge that can eventually split the tooth in half. A dental crown acts like a helmet or a protective cap. It encases the entire visible portion of the tooth, holding it together and absorbing the pressure of chewing so the remaining natural root doesn’t fracture.
2) If I’m missing one tooth, is a bridge really better than just leaving the gap?
Even if the gap doesn’t bother your smile, your teeth are part of an interdependent team. When a tooth is missing, the neighboring teeth start to tip or shift into that empty space. This ruins your bite alignment and creates hard-to-reach pockets that lead to gum disease. A dental bridge acts as a permanent placeholder, keeping your other teeth in their correct positions and restoring your full chewing power.
3) Will my new crown or bridge look obvious or like a 'fake' tooth?
Not at all. At our Westheimer office, we take a precise shade match to your surrounding teeth. Modern porcelain and ceramic materials have a slight translucency that mimics the way natural enamel reflects light. Dr. Patel and Dr. Vu ensure that the shape and contour of the restoration match your natural bite and smile line, so most people won’t even realize you have a dental restoration.
4) I’ve heard that a bridge involves 'grinding down' the teeth next to the gap. Is that true?
To ensure a dental bridge is stable and flush with your other teeth, we do need to prep the two teeth on either side of the gap. These are called abutment teeth. We remove a thin layer of enamel so the dental caps can slide over them securely. This allows the bridge to be cemented permanently in place, providing a much stronger and more stable solution than a removable partial denture.
5) What is the 'two-visit' process like, and will I have a hole in my smile in between?
During the first visit, we prepare the teeth and take a digital impression. You won’t leave with a gap; we’ll provide you with a temporary crown or bridge that looks and functions naturally while our lab custom-crafts your permanent one. About two weeks later, you’ll return to our Houston clinic, and we’ll swap the temporary for the final restoration, ensuring the fit and color are perfect before bonding it into place.
6) How do I clean under a dental bridge? Is it different from normal flossing?
Since a bridge is a single piece that is connected to your other teeth, you can’t floss down through it like a normal tooth. We will show you how to use a floss threader or a water flosser to clean the space between the artificial tooth (the pontic) and your gums. Keeping this area clean is the most important thing you can do to ensure your bridge lasts for a decade or more.
7) How long should I expect my crown or bridge to last before it needs replacing?
With good oral hygiene and regular 6-month checkups at Next Care Dental, a high-quality crown or bridge typically lasts between 10 to 15 years, and often much longer. The restoration itself won’t decay, but the natural tooth underneath it still can. That’s why we emphasize under-the-bridge cleaning and routine exams to make sure the foundation stays as strong as the restoration.
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To find out if our dental crowns and bridges in Houston, TX, are right for you, call us at (713) 952-0522 to book a consultation today.