Crowns and Bridges in Middletown, NJ

Everyone wants and deserves a healthy, beautiful smile. At Middletown Dental, we provide consistent preventive dental care to avoid a multitude of tooth issues. That being said, sometimes maintaining your oral health means repairing and restoring a fractured or weakened tooth.

If this happens to you, Dr. Sukumar and Dr. Conti and their dental team will ensure you receive high-quality and aesthetically pleasing restorations. Among the most common dental restorations are dental crowns.

• What Is a Dental Crown?
• When Do I Need a Crown?
• What Does the Dental Crown Process Look Like?
• What Is a Dental Bridge?
• Want to Learn More About Your Options?

What Is a Dental Crown?

A dental crown is a cap that surrounds the entire surface of a tooth, fitting over a broken tooth to protect it. Dental crowns are reliable, cost-effective, and are durable with proper care. In addition, since crowns are fabricated from strong, tooth-colored material, patients can eat with ease without worrying about their bite capacity.

Your Middletown dentist will ensure you care for your crown in the same way you care for your natural teeth. Brushing and flossing regularly, along with routine dental cleanings, will prolong the life of your dental crown. During your dental checkups with Dr. Sukumar and Dr. Conti and our trained staff will be able to check that your dental crown has no issues and remains a tight fit. Routine dentistry will also prevent any other teeth from needing additional crowns.

When Do I Need a Crown?

A dental crown is necessary when your tooth sustains trauma, a fracture, or more decay than a dental filling can repair. They are designed to replace your entire tooth structure with a porcelain restoration customized to match its natural appearance. As a result, no one will ever notice your dental work, and your tooth will be saved.

A dental crown may be recommended for the following reasons:

• When a cavity requires a large filling that may take a large amount of the tooth structure
• A broken, fractured, or otherwise damaged tooth
• Misshapen tooth
• A stained tooth that is resistant to teeth whitening
• Root canal therapy

What Does the Dental Crown Process Look Like?

At Middletown Dental, a crown usually takes two appointments to complete. Dr. Sukumar or Conti will prepare the decayed area of your tooth for your crown during the first appointment, and you’ll leave with a temporary crown while a dental laboratory crafts the final restoration with high-quality, durable materials.

In one or two weeks, you’ll return to have your final crown installed. Dr. Sukumar ensures that your crown fits appropriately with your bite and makes any necessary adjustments before permanent placement. The entire process is easy and stress-free. Any patients experiencing dental anxiety are encouraged to address their concerns with our Middletown dental staff to make sure they are as comfortable as possible.

What Is a Dental Bridge?

While a dental crown preserves a tooth and prevents extraction, patients who are already missing one or more adjacent teeth may benefit from a dental bridge. This fixed appliance uses your adjacent, healthy teeth to support the prosthetic tooth and fill the gap. Again, Dr. Sukumar or Conti will customize your bridge to match your teeth so that it naturally complements your smile.

Properly brushing and cleaning your anchor teeth is essential to give your bridge better longevity. For larger dental bridge units, your dentist may recommend dental implants to support the bridge, offering a more secure fit and even better longevity. Implants also help keep your jawbone healthy, which promotes longevity for your bridge.

Want to Learn More About Your Options?

When repairing a tooth, Dr. Sukumar may offer multiple options, explaining each one, so you may select the treatment that best meets your needs, lifestyle, and budget. The decision is ultimately the patient’s; we will never push a dental procedure and are always happy to provide as much information as possible to educate the patient.

If you have a tooth in need of repair, don’t delay your treatment. Avoidance may lead to more damage, pain, and possibly tooth loss. Contact Middletown Dental today to learn more about your options.