Text or Call Today !   Call us today! (510) 595-1900

A Tradition of Personal Attention & Personalized Services

Advanced Cosmetic, Mini Dental Implant, Laser, Neuromuscular, Sedation, & Complete General Dentistry
Text or Call Today (510) 595-1900 for An Appointment

Over 25 years Trusted

 

Fixing Smiles & Trusted for over 25 years

Crowns and Veneers

What happens if you are eating dinner or you’re with friends and you are suddenly holding half of one of your teeth in your hand?  No one ever wants to lose or damage a tooth, but weakened by a fracture or a large filling, a tooth might not withstand even the simplest activities.  Your dentist might suggest a crown, which is an artificial replacement for a damaged tooth, to restore the function and appearance of the damaged tooth.

Dental crowns are a restorative technique that repairs damaged teeth.  They are used to restore tooth function and appearance. Maintaining, or restoring, your bite and smile can reverse the effects of tooth damage with help by your Covington dentist.

All About Crowns

If your tooth decay or dental damage is too extensive for veneers, direct composite bonding or other conservative treatments are not viable treatment options; your dentist may recommend dental crowns.  Whether the dental crowns are used to restore a damaged tooth or to create a lifelike tooth replacement for an implant, crowns can be fabricated in your dentist’s office, or sent out to a dental laboratory.

All porcelain crowns are used in order to eliminate noticeable grey lines around crowns that are normally seen in other brands.  Porcelain crowns are the best choice in restoring your smile without creating significant difference in appearance between your other teeth. There are also porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns that provide a strong, durable and esthetic treatment option.

Why do I Need a Crown?

Dental crowns are synthetic caps, usually made of porcelain, placed on the top of a tooth.  This restoration covers a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size, which strengthens and improves the appearance of your damaged tooth.  When your tooth is broken down and fillings are unable to solve your problem, crowns are necessary in order to restore function to your tooth.

Your dentist might recommend placing a crown on a tooth for a variety of reasons but, in general, most of them will usually fall within one of the following basic categories:

  • Restoring or making changes with a tooth’s shape
  • Strengthening the tooth
  • Improving the cosmetic appearance of the tooth

It is not too hard to envision how a dental crown might be used to restore, or even improve, a tooth’s shape. When a crown is cemented into place, it becomes the tooth’s new outer shell.  And although they must stay within certain guidelines, it is easy to see how placing a crown gives a dentist great control in defining the overall shape of the tooth.

Veneers

If you have dental blemishes, or slightly crooked teeth that you are embarrassed of, look no further.  Dental veneers, which are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials, are designed to cover the front surface of your teeth to improve your smile’s appearance.  There is no reason to put up with gaps in your teeth, or with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked.  With dental veneers you can smile with confidence knowing your smile can impress others.

Are You a Candidate?

Dental veneers are not an appropriate treatment for every patient and every situation.  However, a majority of patients will be candidates for dental veneers, but there are some situations where dental veneers may not be an option.  It is vital for your dentist to assess your oral health before veneers are selected as your treatment of choice because the state of your teeth will largely determine the success of the veneer.

You may be a candidate for dental veneers if your teeth are:
Stained

  • Chipped or broken
  • Crooked or misaligned
  • Gapped
  • Fractured or have holes

You may not be a candidate if you have unhealthy teeth, however.  If you have decay or gum disease, your dentist will not be able to properly place the veneers over your teeth.  The possibility for dental veneers still exists, but these conditions must be successfully treated first.

Additionally, porcelain veneers will not work on teeth that have little or no enamel.  Enamel is essential for veneers, as they are permanently placed onto the enamel of your teeth.  Without sufficient enamel, the veneer will simply have nothing to bond with.

Enjoy the Benefits

Veneers offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth’s color and shape.  Generally, veneers do not require the extensive shaping prior to the procedure that crowns do, yet they offer a stronger, more aesthetic alternative.

Some other advantages of dental veneers include:

  • They provide a natural tooth appearance
  • Gum tissue tolerates porcelain well
  • Porcelain veneers are stain resistant
  • The color of the veneer is carefully selected to make dark teeth appear whiter

Talk to your dentist in Emeryville, CA if you have chipped or broken a tooth due to decay or trauma.  Your dentist will be able to properly evaluate your tooth and provide the appropriate treatment plan.