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.
The full cost, including any buildup or temporary crown, is quoted before treatment starts.
Here's the range of Dental Crowns And Bridges our Loma Linda 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.
A fixed bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring to the natural teeth on either side of the gap. We'll compare bridge and implant options honestly if you're weighing both.
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.
A cracked crown, loose bridge, or worn restoration is assessed to determine whether repair or full replacement makes more sense. Repairs are typically faster and less costly when they're a genuinely viable option.
No mystery about what happens between calling us and walking out with the problem addressed.
A quick call starts the repair-or-replace assessment process.
You'll understand the tradeoffs before choosing a material.
Any post-and-core buildup is included in the quote if needed.
The permanent crown or bridge is fitted, checked for bite, and adjusted until it feels right.
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.”
Straight answers to what people actually want to know before committing to 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.
Only if the tooth has lost significant structure, often after a root canal — we'll assess and show you the reasoning.
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.
Most cases take two visits, with a temporary restoration protecting the tooth in between.
If you're unsure whether your part of Loma Linda is covered, a quick call settles it faster than searching online.
Our Dental Crowns And Bridges team serves Loma Linda and the surrounding area, with digital impression technology available in-office for a precise, comfortable fit. Ask about combining a crown assessment with your next routine checkup.
