Placing a dental crown typically requires two to three visits.

During the first visit, the tooth is prepared to receive the new crown. This involves reshaping the tooth so that the crown can fit securely — often requiring some milling or contouring to create a uniform shape. If there is insufficient tooth structure, additional treatments may be necessary to rebuild and preserve the tooth.

Once the tooth is prepared, dental impressions are taken — either digitally or using high-precision materials — and sent to a dental lab. There, the impressions are used to create accurate models of your teeth, which allow our highly skilled dental technicians to design a crown that will enhance both your smile and bite function.

Before you leave the office, a temporary crown will be placed to protect your tooth until the permanent crown is ready. During the second visit, the permanent crown is bonded to your tooth with long-lasting dental cement.

Crowns can also be used to create a replacement for one or several missing teeth, giving a natural-looking result. This is done with a bridge, which spans the space left by the missing tooth or teeth.

The number of abutment teeth (the supporting teeth for the bridge) needed to replace the missing ones is determined by several factors:

• The number of missing teeth

• The size and length of the roots of the abutment teeth

• The amount of bone support each abutment tooth has

• The location of the missing teeth in the mouth

For example, if you have three missing teeth, it may be necessary to use four abutment teeth, creating a seven-unit bridge. The engineering and design of the bridge requires knowledge not only of how to replace teeth, but also of the biology of the gums and the supporting bone tissue.