Crown & Bridges

Smile restoration options in Walnut Creek, CA

At Procopio Towle Dental Office, function and aesthetics are important in every dental procedure. We offer a range of restoration options to fit your budgets and needs. Dental crowns and bridges are among these services.

In the past, dentists had to use silver or gold crowns to strengthen teeth, but today we have highly durable porcelains that look very natural and can protect your teeth. Many people call them “invisible fillings” or “invisible crowns.”

All about dental crowns

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is cemented over a prepared tooth to strengthen it and prevent damage. A crown may be appropriate for a large area of decay or breakage when the remaining tooth structure is not sufficient to support a filling. It may also be used to improve the appearance of a healthy tooth with deep discoloration, wear, or an unusual shape or size. Dental crowns are made of strong material, such as:

• Gold – A biocompatible noble metal. This is a good choice for molar restorations subjected to a great deal of bite force.
• Stainless steel – These economical dental crowns are sometimes used on children’s baby teeth.
• Porcelain – The most aesthetic option, a porcelain crown blends beautifully with natural teeth. This type may be made of solid ceramic, or porcelain fused to a metal core.

Dental crowns in just one visit

We know your time is valuable. 

In addition to porcelain crowns, we provide CEREC dental crowns that you will get in ONE VISIT. NO impression “goop”, NO plastic temporaries, and NO two-week wait for permanent crown cementation.

How does the CEREC procedure work?

Dr. Joyce Chi of Procopio Towle Dental Office examines the tooth and determines the appropriate treatment depending on how much healthy tooth structure is remaining. Next, she prepares the tooth for the porcelain crown, she will take a 3D image of the tooth and a milling machine in our laboratory makes the crown. In addition to restoring tooth decay, crowns can also be used to enhance your smile by covering up stained or crooked teeth. Porcelain dental crowns have become a very important part of cosmetic dentistry.

Dental bridges

A dental bridge is usually three or more crowns connected to replace a missing tooth. If you are missing a tooth, a bridge is one option to replace that tooth. We place two crowns, one on each side of the missing tooth The two crowns are then connected with another crown that fits in the space of your missing tooth. The downside to a dental bridge is that it is very difficult to floss and because the three crowns are connected if anything happens to just one crown, we have to replace all three crowns.

Dental implants have become the “gold standard” for long-term tooth replacement. However, dental bridges remain a sound solution for patients who do not want implants or are not good candidates.

In some cases, the procedures can be combined. Implants anchor a dental bridge, restoring up to five consecutive teeth with just two dental implants and no impact on neighboring teeth.

A complete smile is attractive and healthy. Schedule a consultation today and talk to one of our best dentists to learn more about crowns, bridges, dental implants, and other restorative dentistry options available at Procopio Towle Dental Office in Walnut Creek.