Crowns and Bridges in Chesterfield MO
Do you have a tooth that is cracked, worn down, misshapen, or discolored from trauma or previous dental treatment? If you have one or several teeth that could use a "facelift," a dental crown may be the treatment solution. A crown, or “cap,” is a restoration that covers the whole tooth, giving it strength and a beautiful, natural look.
Crowns are often used to fix broken, cracked, and worn teeth, to strengthen and restore the tooth following a root canal, or to improve a tooth’s cosmetic appearance. If you're missing teeth, multiple crowns can be crafted into a dental bridge to "fill the gap" and restore the missing tooth. Chesterfield dentist Dr. Robert Rahm has several years' experience crafting gorgeous dental crowns that perfectly blend in with your natural teeth.
Is a Crown Really Necessary?
Crowns are necessary when a tooth is broken down and a filling won’t be enough to fix it. This often occurs when a tooth has lost most of its original structure because of cavities or previous fillings. When a tooth is cracked, a crown will provide extra strength and help reduce the risk of further breakdown. Crowns can also be used to cover discolored or badly shaped teeth. They are made to look like and complement your natural teeth.
Temporarily fixing a tooth with a filling may get you by for a little while, but you may end up having more damage done and needing more work than if you'd just gotten a crown. We try to take care of the problem from the start! Crowns restore teeth back to their proper form, function, strength, and appearance.
What Is a Dental Bridge? Should I Get One?
If you are missing a tooth, we can often restore the tooth with a dental bridge. A bridge is a false tooth or teeth that are attached to multiple crowns, usually on either side of the missing teeth. These crowns are used to anchor the bridge in place by securing them to healthy teeth.
Dental bridges can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple missing teeth in a row. For a successful dental bridge, the teeth to either side of the missing or extracted tooth must be healthy and strong. Dr. Rahm can let you know if you are a good candidate for a dental bridge restoration.
How Long Will My Crown or Bridge Last?
The Academy of General Dentistry suggests crowns and bridges should last from five to eight years. Often, the longevity of a crown is directly correlated with how well you take care of your teeth. If you have damaging habits like grinding your teeth or chewing on ice or fingernails, they may not last as long.
In addition to brushing and flossing daily, it is important for you to make regular check-up and cleaning visits with the hygienist. These check-ups will help ensure a good return on your investment and extend the life of your crown.
Beautiful Crowns and Bridges for a Beautiful, Natural Smile in Chesterfield
If you are interested in restoring one or more teeth with dental crowns or a dental bridge, contact our Chesterfield dental office today to schedule a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
In most cases, no. One of our goals is to provide strong, functional dentistry that both looks and feels good. We carefully consider the impact dentistry will have on your overall smile and appearance, and we will present all of your options as well as our recommendations.
Dental Crowns in Chesterfield
If you need a dental crown procedure on your front teeth, you’ll be thrilled to know that we can place crowns that are virtually indistinguishable from your own natural teeth. These crowns are designed to be durable and long-lasting, and they will also blend in beautifully to enhance your smile, not detract from it.
In most cases, our patients report that people can tell there’s an improvement in their appearance, but they can’t tell what exactly it is!
What are crowns made of?
Crowns can be made from a variety of materials, including metals, porcelain fused to a metal base, and tooth-colored materials like ceramic and zirconia. Crowns that are placed on your back teeth need to be stronger since they will bear the brunt of chewing, and we recommend metal or porcelain fused to metal for these.
If you have a tooth that is damaged, please contact Chesterfield Valley Dental to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Robert Rahm.
Dental crowns are an excellent solution for patients who have had a tooth with substantial decay, or a crack, or fracture. Because the dental crown fits over your remaining tooth, it can come off if you're not careful about the foods you or if you are not using proper brushing and flossing techniques. Here's what you should know about caring for dental crowns in Chesterfield, MO.
Avoiding certain hard or sticky foods will help you prolong the life of your crown. Here are some culprits:
- Popcorn
- Hard candies
- Raw vegetable (carrots or celery)
- Caramel
- Sticky or gummy candy
- Gum
It is also not a good idea to chew on ice as it can fracture your crown and your natural teeth.
How to Care For Your Dental Crowns at Home
Sticking to an excellent home care routine is critical when you have a dental crown. You should be brushing at least twice per day and flossing at least once. When you floss, be careful not to get the floss stuck under your tooth, instead slide it gently along the side of it. Pulling the floss straight up could cause your crown to pop off.
Chesterfield MO Dental Clinic
Regular checkups will help you maintain the health of your tooth crown as well as the overall condition of your smile. If you need a tooth crown in Chesterfield, MO, contact our dental clinic to schedule an appointment today.
If you are struggling with teeth that are failing or missing, a dental bridge can be an ideal solution for replacing one or multiple adjacent missing teeth. A bridge uses porcelain crowns that will anchor to two healthy teeth on either end and support prosthetic teeth in the middle designed to fill the gap.
Your bridge is a fixed appliance, which means it is permanently placed and customized with high-quality ceramic porcelain that is blended to complete your smile seamlessly. The key to supporting the longevity of your dental bridge in Chesterfield, MO is to keep your anchor teeth healthy and clean with consistent daily brushing and careful flossing.
Implant-Supported Dental Bridge
Your dentist can also use dental implants as anchors for a dental bridge, which allows patients with multiple missing teeth to enjoy the benefits that implants offer such as keeping your jawbone healthy by stimulating it as a natural root would. This also promotes longevity for the bridge.
Contact Our 63005 Dental Clinic
If you would like to learn more about your options for restoring one or more missing teeth, Dr. Rahm is ready to discuss them with you during a consultation. Contact Chesterfield Valley Dental, your trusted Chesterfield cosmetic dentist, to arrange a convenient time for your appointment today.
We may recommend a tooth crown for a number of reasons. In most cases, crowns are used to protect a tooth that has been damaged or weakened. Some of the most common reasons for this include:
- Extensive decay
- Injury
- Root canal therapy
- Clenching and grinding
Other uses for dental crowns
Crowns can also be used as part of a system to replace missing teeth. For instance, crowns are often used to hold a bridge in place, and a crown may be used to restore a dental implant.
Crowns may also be used as part of a cosmetic treatment plan. Since the crown fits over the entire tooth, this is a great option for camouflaging a tooth with significant discoloration or an unusual shape.
If Dr. Rahm feels that a crown is the most appropriate treatment, he will review this option with you thoroughly, both pros and cons, and also any other possible options so that you can make an informed decision about your dental health. He will take the time to answer your questions and make sure you are feeling comfortable and confident in your decision.
Contact our Chesterfield MO Dental Clinic
If you have a tooth that is causing you pain or negatively impacting your smile, please contact Chesterfield Valley Dental for a consultation about a tooth crown in Chesterfield, MO.
Meet Our Doctor:
Robert Rahm DDS
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. RAHM for being named one of the Top Dentists in the St. Louis area by St. Louis Magazine and Top Dentists USA 2018, 2019, and 2020!
Dr. Rahm really enjoys getting to know his patients personally - it's the best part of his day! Many of our patients are friends, neighbors, family and other members of our schools and community. His goal is to personally care for each patient as he would his own friend or family member. He believes in patients having a ...
Featured Blog Posts - Crowns and Bridges
Does a Crowned Tooth Require Special Care?
A crowned tooth doesn’t require special care; however, you must still protect the underlying natural tooth from gum disease or tooth decay. That’s why good oral hygiene practices are so important, like brushing at least twice daily and flossing once daily. If you need a dental crown, our team ...
Cosmetic Issues We Can Fix With Dental Crowns
You may have heard about dental crowns being used for such repairs as to cover a tooth that has a very large filling or to strengthen a tooth that has had a root canal done. But dental crowns are also used for cosmetic issues. Dental crowns will not ...
How Crowns Can Improve Your Smile
Dental crowns—also referred to as "tooth caps”—can restore a broken or damaged tooth so patients can chew comfortably again. Often dental crowns are used to cover back molars that have become compromised because of a large filling that has fractured. But sometimes crowns are used cosmetically, toward the ...