Tooth fillings, crowns, & bridges in St. Augustine

What Are Dental Bridges and Crowns?

Tooth bridges and crowns are each a type of prosthetic oral device dentists use to repair damage to the teeth and restore their look and performance. Whereas you can remove dentures yourself, only your dentist can remove bridges and crowns.

Tooth Bridges

Bridges are recommended for those missing one or more teeth. These appliances are created using a row of pontic teeth, which are attached to abutment teeth on each side. Implants can also be used to support tooth bridges.

There are several different kinds of bridges we offer at Anastasia Dental Associates, all of which can help restore your smile:

1. Traditional bridges use a tooth or fabricated dental crown on each side of an area where two or more teeth are missing as abutment teeth, and place pontics, or artificial teeth, between them.
2. Cantilever bridges are used when a natural tooth remains on one of the sides of the affected area, requiring only an abutment tooth on the other side.

While dentists can place traditional bridges on either the front or back of the mouth, they don’t usually use traditional bridges in the back of the mouth.

There are typically two appointments involved with your dentist in St. Augustine for the tooth bridge procedure.

At the first visit, your dentist will remove a small portion of your tooth enamel in order to prepare the abutment teeth. The dentist will then take impressions of the teeth to act as the model for your new crowns and bridge.

In between your first and second visit, while your permanent bridge is being made, your dentist will have you wear a temporary bridge.

At the second visit, your dentist will replace the temporary bridge with the permanent one and adjust it for your comfort.

If you think you may need a dental bridge, call our office to consult with a dentist who can examine you and determine whether a bridge or some other dental procedure will best meet your goals.

Dental Crowns

Also called dental caps, crowns cover the entirety of a damaged tooth.

There are several different kinds of crowns according to the material it’s composed of. Among the most common are ceramic, gold alloys, and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. Dentists typically use gold alloy crowns to restore back teeth and ceramic crowns to restore front teeth.

When you come to Anastasia Dental Associates for a dental crown, you can expect the procedure to take two visits, each one lasting about a half hour to an hour.

In the first visit, your dentist will prepare the given tooth; this will include shaping the tooth, if necessary, and taking an impression of it to use for the model of the permanent crown.

In between your first and second visits, you’ll wear a temporary crown your dentist provides.

At your second visit, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and cement the permanent tooth crown into place.

What Is a Tooth Filling?

Dentists use a tooth filling to repair decayed teeth and restore them to their natural shape and function; fillings also protect those teeth from any more damage or decay. To place fillings, a dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and clean the tooth thoroughly. Then, the dentist will fill the cavity with a filling material like silver amalgam, tooth-colored composite, porcelain, or gold alloy. Many of these materials are made to resemble the color of your natural teeth.

How Much Does a Tooth Bridge, Tooth Crown, or Tooth Filling Cost?

Because tooth bridges, crowns for teeth, and tooth fillings are completely custom-made dental appliances, the dental filling cost, dental bridge cost, and dental crown cost can vary significantly. One of the main factors influencing this cost is the choice of material used to fabricate the appliance. Another major factor is the complexity of the treatment required (ie. the number of teeth affected) and the placement of the restoration.

At your appointment, we’ll provide you with an estimate of the costs involved in the treatment.