Crowns and
Bridges Westwood

Dental crowns and bridges are prosthetic devices that help restore damaged teeth and your smile. Serving the Westwood, Santa Monica, and West Los Angeles areas, Lotus Family Dental is passionate about providing world class cosmetic dentistry services including crowns and bridges.

A crown is a prosthetic device that completely covers the biting surface and sides of a tooth. Several things can lead to the need for placing a dental crown, including:

• Severe decay
• Cracked or broken teeth
• Repeated dental work on a tooth
• Extreme cosmetic flaws

To place a crown, Dr. Mashkouri will take impressions of your teeth to help create a realistic, natural looking crown. The tooth will be shaped, removing decayed or weakened material and allowing the cap to fit tightly over it. Once this is completed, more impressions will be taken and sent to a dental lab, where the crown will be fabricated for you. Since this process usually takes two or three weeks, Dr. Mashkouri will create a temporary crown of acrylic material to protect the tooth until the second visit.

When the crown comes back from the lab, Dr. Mashkouri will have you try it on to make sure it fits well and matches your aesthetic considerations. The color of the crown may be adjusted to seamlessly blend with your natural teeth. Once you and your dentist are happy with the result, the permanent crown will be cemented to your tooth.

Materials

For teeth in the front of the mouth, porcelain crowns are an ideal material, matching the color and translucency of natural teeth. However, in cases where the crown will need to stand up to more pressure, such as in molars or premolars, a stronger alternative may be necessary. Crowns can be made of metal, porcelain fused to metal, or zirconia. You will be able to discuss your options during your consultation to determine which option is right for you.

Care

Bridges and crowns are strong and durable restorations, and can last for many years with proper care. Keeping up with good oral hygiene is important. While your crown or bridge will not decay, they can only stay in place if there is enough underlying tooth to anchor them. Keep up with regular dental appointments to ensure your teeth stay as healthy as possible. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Lotus Family Dental today.