Crowns and Bridges
Dentist in Manchester, MO
At Stanford Dental, our primary goal is to help you achieve and maintain a beautiful and healthy smile for a lifetime. Sometimes this requires repairing or replacing a tooth that has been damaged or compromised.
If you find yourself with a tooth in need of repair, it can be a comfort to know that Dr. Tyler Carron uses high quality materials and state-of-the-art technology to ensure that the process is comfortable, and you’ll receive a restoration that you can be proud of and rely on for many years to come.
Many of our patients have questions about dental crowns and bridges, and we invite you to take a look at some of the most common we’ve gathered below. We hope you’ll let our Manchester, MO dental office know if you have more questions. One of our friendly team members will be delighted to answer them!
- In what situations might I need a dental crown?
- Why do I need a crown instead of a filling?
- What kind of dental technology do you use?
- What is a dental bridge?
- I am feeling anxious about getting a tooth crown; do you have any suggestions to help ease my stress?
- Will it hurt to get a dental crown?
- Do I need a crown after having a root canal?
- What if I put off getting a dental crown?
In what situations might I need a dental crown?
A crown is an ideal restoration for a tooth that has been decayed, infected, or damaged beyond what a dental filling is capable of repairing. It is designed to fit over your remaining tooth structure like a “cap” and restore your entire tooth while protecting the integrity of your root.
Dr. Carron uses digital impressions that ensure the fit of your crown is accurate and precise. Digital impressions also eliminate the need for the messy impressions we used in the past, which makes the process more comfortable for patients.
Your top Manchester, MO dentist also uses high quality metals (for back teeth) or tooth-colored zirconium to ensure that our patients do not have any allergic reactions and that they receive the best function and esthetics from their restoration.
Situations that may necessitate the use of a crown include:
- To strengthen a tooth after root canal therapy
- To replace an old filling that is large and has left little natural tooth structure
- To anchor a dental bridge
- To complete a dental implant
- To repair a tooth that has been cracked, fractured, or decayed
Why do I need a crown instead of a filling?
Dr. Carron practices with the philosophy of microdentistry in mind. This means that he is looking for any signs of decay or damage to your tooth early on, which typically allows us to repair your tooth with a small filling rather than more extensive treatment.
With that said, there are some circumstances that require a dental crown if your tooth is decayed or damaged beyond what a filling can repair. Some of these situations are:
- A tooth that has deep decay or is fractured
- A tooth that has been treated with root canal therapy
- A tooth with a large old restoration to replace
Crowns are also used when we replace missing teeth, often as either the anchor to a bridge or attached to a dental implant. Because a crown is designed to protect your entire tooth from breaking and it restores your proper bite, it can restore your tooth more effectively than a filling in some circumstances.
What kind of dental technology do you use?
Dr. Carron uses the highest quality dental materials and works with only the best dental laboratories in the Manchester, MO area to make sure that your crown is durable, functional, and an esthetically pleasing complement to your smile.
If your tooth needs a crown, it’s important not to ignore or delay your treatment as it could result in an infection or further damage to your tooth.
What is a dental bridge?
Patients who are living with a failing or missing tooth might benefit from a dental bridge. This tooth replacement option utilizes dental crowns to anchor a prosthetic tooth that fills in the open space. A bridge also works for multiple missing teeth as long as they are adjacent.
For our Manchester, MO dental patients, a dental bridge provides a fixed solution, which means that it can’t be removed, providing stability when you eat or talk. Keeping your anchor teeth clean and healthy with consistent brushing, flossing, and dental checkups is the key to maintaining the health of your bridge and ensuring its longevity.
I am feeling anxious about getting a tooth crown; do you have any suggestions to help ease my stress?
We know that getting a tooth crown or a bridge might feel stressful, so at our Manchester, MO dental office, we provide amenities to help you feel comfortable throughout the process.
Patients can enjoy their favorite television program during their treatment, and we’ll finish with a warm, lavender-scented towel for your comfort. If you are feeling anxious about your procedure, you can discuss using nitrous oxide with Dr. Carron, which can help you feel at ease during treatment.
Dr. Carron also uses digital impressions, which eliminates the messy impressions we took in the past and are more comfortable for our patients.
Will it hurt to get a dental crown?
Although we cannot promise you a completely pain-free experience, we will always numb the area to be treated before we begin the procedure. Most patients report feeling no pain at all. In fact, for most patients, getting a dental crown is no worse than getting a run-of-the-mill filling.
Dr. Carron also uses digital impressions at our Manchester, MO dental office, so you won’t have to worry about goopy pastes before your crown is fabricated.
If you are worried about feeling pain or discomfort, our dental practice offers nitrous oxide. This odorless, tasteless gas is breathed in through a mask similar to the way oxygen is delivered.
Do I need a crown after having a root canal?
We generally recommend that most patients who undergo a root canal get a dental crown placed on the affected tooth.
When we do root canal therapy at our Manchester, MO dental office, we remove the infected part of the tooth, which is the pulp deep within the root of the tooth. Because we take out the living tissue, this tends to leave the tooth brittle and susceptible to fracture. With a dental crown, the tooth can once again withstand the force of chewing, so you will have no limitations on what you can eat. A dental crown will protect the tooth structure after a root canal—and it will save your tooth from needing extraction.
What if I put off getting a dental crown?
If your tooth needs repair, be sure not to delay as this can lead to more damage and bigger problems in the future. When you don’t repair a damaged tooth, you risk losing the tooth completely. This can lead to a host of other dental issues.
Contact Stanford Dental to learn more about how we can help restore your tooth with dental crowns or bridges at our Manchester, MO dental office.
