Porcelain Veneers, Crowns and Bridges in Chicago, IL
What are Porcelain Veneers, Crowns and Bridges?
Porcelain veneers, crowns, and bridges have restorative, cosmetic, and prosthetic applications in dentistry. These custom prosthetics and restorations can be utilized to increase oral function and enhance the appearance of one’s smile. When a person requires restorations and prosthetics or seeks to improve his or her smile with cosmetic enhancements, choosing a prosthodontist is ideal. Prosthodontists have vast experience with repairing, restoring, and replacing teeth with many types of materials including porcelain, zirconium, or metal.
Porcelain Veneers
When a patient is suffering from multiple smile flaws of varying causes, porcelain veneers are typically ideal for producing a straight and proportionate looking smile. Handcrafted from wafer-thin yet high quality ceramics, porcelain veneers are tooth-shaped coverings that are ultimately bonded over the outer surfaces of teeth to conceal unsightly imperfections. Veneers can conceal stains, chips, cracks, and misshapen teeth. Porcelain veneers have been referred to as “instant orthodontics” because these enhancements produce a beautifully straight looking smile immediately after they are bonded.
Crowns and Bridges
Crowns and bridges are tooth-shaped prosthetics made in dental laboratories to repair or replace teeth. They are tailor made to the unique structures of a patient’s mouth and the tooth or teeth requiring treatment. A crown is like a cap that can cover a damaged or diseased tooth. It may also be attached to a dental implants to replace a single missing tooth. A bridge, on the other hand, is made of a series of crowns. It is anchored by healthy, biological teeth or dental implants and is used to fill in the gaps of a smile affected by a row of missing teeth. Both of these restorations can be constructed from different materials including durable metals, zirconium, porcelain fused over metal, or all porcelain. White crowns and bridges are the most natural looking and will blend in seamlessly with existing teeth.
To learn more about your restorative and cosmetic options, we recommend that you reserve a consultation with our prosthodontist, Dr. Bicakci. Call us today to schedule your appointment.
Common Questions
What is a dental crown?
A dental crown is an extensive restoration that covers the entire tooth above the gum line. This restoration must be customized so that it properly fits over a damaged or diseased tooth, supports adjacent biological teeth, and restores oral function. Essentially, a dental crown is like a cap and shaped like the tooth for which it is made. Crowns are made from different materials, too. Patients may choose durable metal alloys such as silver and gold, or more natural looking restorations made from porcelain or a combination of porcelain and metal.
Why do I need a crown on my tooth?
There is an array of reasons a person may need a dental crown. A crown may be necessary after facial trauma that has resulted in a cracked or chipped tooth. Teeth with considerable decay or have been treated with root canal therapy may need to be capped as well. Dental crowns also have cosmetic applications. Since they are bonded over natural teeth, a crown can be used to conceal misshapen, worn down, and stained teeth.
How much do crowns cost for teeth?
The price of a crown fluctuates for a few different reasons. First, the type of tooth being treated affects the price of a dental crown. For instance, a molar is a larger tooth with multiple cusps when compared to anterior (front) teeth and therefore requires more restorative material. The materials used to make a crown also affect price. Metal alloys like silver or gold tend to be less expensive than an all porcelain restoration.
Keep in mind that crowns are custom made in laboratories by dental technicians and the precise, specialized work needed to create a beautiful restoration is reflected in its price.
What are porcelain veneers?
Veneers are cosmetic enhancements that cover the outer surfaces of teeth. Made from high quality porcelain, a veneer is an ultra-thin, tooth-shaped enhancement that is cemented over teeth to conceal smile imperfections. When multiple veneers are used, they can produce a total smile makeover. These cosmetic enhancements permanently cover chipped, misshapen, cracked, and stained teeth. They can also make a smile appear straight, proportionate, and uniform.
How much are porcelain veneers?
Like other restorations and prosthetics made by technicians in dental labs, porcelain veneers are highly customized and their price reflects the labor and care taken into fabricating them. The price of veneers varies, too, based on how many a patient is receiving. As with any other cosmetic treatment, receiving veneers is an investment.
What is a bridge?
A bridge is a dental restoration that is comprised of a series of crowns. Custom made, a bridge is used to close the gap between missing teeth and biological teeth. The bridge will anchor on each end to existing teeth or a dental implant to fill in an incomplete smile. Bridges provide biting surfaces over the gums to restore oral function after tooth loss. Like crowns, patients have options for the materials used to craft bridges including porcelain, a combination of porcelain and metal, or metal alloys.
