Our Services / Crowns and Bridges

Crowns and bridges make it easy to repair or replace damaged, decaying, or missing permanent teeth. Once placed, crowns and bridges restore your smile and biting and chewing abilities. At Newport Smile Studio in Newport Beach, California, experienced dentist Abrak Etemad, DMD, uses crowns and bridges to transform smiles and encourage good oral health. Call Newport Smile Studio in Orange County to schedule a crowns or bridges consultation, or book your appointment online today.

Crowns and Bridges Q & A

How are crowns and bridges different?

Crowns and bridges repair or replace damaged, decaying, or missing teeth. Although these dental restorations are often mentioned together, they aren’t the same.

Crowns

Crowns are tooth-shaped coverings that Dr. Etemad bonds on top of a damaged or severely decaying tooth. The crown restores your tooth’s shape, size, and appearance and prevents damage from worsening.

Bridges

Bridges fill a gap in your smile where a permanent tooth used to be. There are several bridge types, but all have one (or multiple) artificial teeth and a supportive framework. The artificial teeth “bridge” the gap in your smile while the framework holds the bridge in place.

Some bridges are held in place with dental crowns; others are supported by a wire bonded to the back of your teeth.

You can also have a crown or bridge affixed to a dental implant to replace one or more missing teeth.

Do I need a dental crown or bridge?

Dr. Etemad uses dental crowns to:

Strengthen weak teeth
Hold dental bridges in place
Restore worn-down and severely damaged teeth
Protect cracked or decaying teeth
Cover dental implants
Cover teeth after root canal therapy

She might recommend a bridge if you’ve lost one (or several) teeth to extractions, trauma, or poor oral hygiene.

What does getting a crown or bridge involve?

At Newport Smile Studio, getting a crown or bridge takes two appointments.

First Visit

Dr. Etemad reviews your dental records, completes an oral exam, and takes dental X-rays to assess the health of your teeth, lower jaw bone, and upper palate. If you have damaged or severely decaying teeth, she recommends a crown. If you’re missing a permanent tooth, she recommends a bridge.

Next, Dr. Etemad takes digital impressions of your teeth with an intraoral scanner. She shares your impressions with a dental laboratory that creates a custom crown or bridge.

Second Visit

When the dental laboratory finishes your crown or bridge, you return to Newport Smile Studio.

If you’re getting a crown, Dr. Etemad numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic and bonds the crown to your damaged or decaying tooth. Then, she checks your bite, removes any excess crown material, and provides care instructions.

If you’re getting a bridge, Dr. Etemad numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic and places the artificial tooth into your empty tooth socket. Then, she bonds the crowns to the two teeth on either side of the gap or attaches a metal framework to the back of your teeth. Both approaches hold the bridge in place so you can bite and chew confidently.

Call Newport Smile Studio to schedule a crown or bridge consultation, or book your appointment online today.