We all want to retain our natural teeth. They provide the most beauty and function. But sometimes things go wrong and we need to have a tooth repaired or replaced. Porcelain dental crowns and bridges are very popular treatments that are used when things go awry with a patient’s tooth.

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What are Porcelain Dental Crowns?

A crown is a protective cover often used to encase the visible part of the tooth. It restores function and, especially in the case of tooth-colored porcelain, a very natural beauty. When a tooth is broken, cracked, or severely decayed, a crown is often the best treatment, as it protects the natural tooth from further damage and blocks bacteria from entering the tooth again. Many, if not most, root canal treatments are followed with the placement of a dental crown to protect the tooth that has been spared from extraction, but considerably weakened.

Getting a dental crown in Northborough, MA, is made easier at Dr. Jacob Stein’s office. We make most of our dental crowns of porcelain zirconium, a very durable material, on our state-of-the-art CAD/CAM driven milling machine. When you require a dental crown, Dr. Stein will begin by preparing your tooth by removing some of the outer enamel, a process which makes room for the crown to be placed without misaligning your bite. A digital (photographic) impression will be made, then computer technology will design your new crown, which will be refined and perfected by Dr. Stein. This design will then be programmed into the milling machine, which will create your custom crown in our office while you wait. When complete, your crown can be placed. This one-visit technology means the patient can avoid the use of a temporary crown while the permanent one is fabricated in a lab, and won’t have to come back for a second appointment to have the crown placed.

What is a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge is a tooth replacement that uses crowns on adjacent teeth to support a prosthetic tooth. Bridges are a very popular solution to the problem of lost teeth. When a patient wants to replace a tooth with a crown and bridge arrangement, the process begins the same way, with preparation of the existing teeth. Instead of one crown on one tooth, however, Dr. Stein will fit you with a piece of dental work that joins the crowns with the bridge, or prosthetic tooth, providing you with a very natural looking way to fill in a gap where a tooth was lost.

Can I Benefit From Porcelain Dental Crowns and Bridges?

Most patients with reasonably good health who are in need of a crown or tooth replacement can benefit from this technology. If you have a broken tooth in need of repair or a missing tooth you would like to replace, why wait? Call (508) 393-8589 today, or request an appointment here for a consultation with Dr. Stein to find out more about porcelain dental crowns and bridges and if they are right for you!