Dental Crowns & Bridges Scottsdale

What are Dental Crowns?

When a tooth has extensive decay, fractures, or failed restorations that cannot be repaired with a filling, a crown can be very beneficial.  Crowns are needed when a tooth is in need of support, misshaped, discolored, or to cover an implant.  Crowns look very natural and are fabricated from ultra-strong ceramic porcelains.  All ceramic crowns are an improvement from porcelain fused to metal (PFM) as there is no longer a metallic coping or shell that was sometimes visible at the gingival margins.  When requested by the patient, high-noble precious metals are still excellent materials for the fabrication of crowns.

What are Dental Bridges?

Bridges replace lost or missing teeth and function like natural teeth.  Bridges are typically an option when there is are one or two teeth missing, but stll surrounded by healthy teeth on both sides.  Custom crowns are fabricated to fill the gap, and are fused together to crowns on the neighboring teeth.  Bridges can be an excellent solution to missing teeth when an implant is not an option. The dental bridge is designed to match your surrounding teeth in a very natural way.

What about “Same Day” Crowns?

Advancements in 3-D imaging and porcelain milling technology have lead to the expansion of in-office same-day crown services in Scottsdale, Cave Creek, and Carefree.   Although it is a nice service to complete a crown in a single appointment without having to send a model to a lab for a custom crown to be fabricated, there are several concerning drawbacks.  At Carefree Smile we send our crown to one of the most highly respected dental labs in the country.  Quality is a guarantee.  There are many more options when it comes to materials and shades.  The strongest materials cannot be milled in an in-office machine and require more time, equipment, and expertise that is only available in a dedicated dental lab.  Also, we find that we can better control the patient experience by sending a crown to an outside lab with confidence that the appointments will be quick, comfortable, and routine.  As technology continues to improve, we may decide to bring “sam day” crowns to our office, but at this time, it is something that we cannot confidently recommend in many cases.

What do dental crowns cost?

If you would like to learn more about the cost of crowns and bridges and how the procedure works, contact Carefree Smile in our Scottsdale office today.  We see patients in Cave Creek, Carefree, and North Scottsdale and will consult with you what treatments would be best for you.