Dental Crowns & Bridges Aurora Aurora CO

Dental Work Designed Just for You

Healthy digestion and nutrient absorption begins with the simple act of chewing your food. Although teeth are the strongest mineral in your body (95% calcified), nothing is indestructible with time and constant forces. When teeth break, have been restored many times, or if the appearance is not to liking, they may require dental work in the form of a dental crown or bridge. These custom lab designed dental restorations rebuild teeth, make them look natural, and replace or improve the original shape and color. In the case of a dental bridge, this prosthetic can replace severely damaged and missing teeth to rebuild an entire smile.

If you struggle with damaged or missing teeth, please contact Highpoint Dental Care in Aurora, CO today at 303-617-9100 to schedule your dental exam and consultation. Our experienced restorative and cosmetic dentist serves patients in the Aurora, Colorado, area including Green Valley Ranch, Parker, and Centennial.

There are several details involved in providing a dental crown or bridge, and you likely have questions about these options, such as:

What Is a Dental Crown?
What Is a Dental Bridge?
How Is the Crown or Bridge Procedure Performed?
What are Same-Day Crowns?
How Can I Prepare for a Crown or Bridge?
What Is the Recovery Process?
Can I Combine a Crown or Bridge with Another Procedure?
Why Choose Highpoint Dental Care?

What Is a Dental Crown?

A dental crown, sometimes referred to as a “cap,” is a restoration designed to cover a tooth and restore it back to normal form and function. Crowns can be made out of stainless steel, gold, ceramic porcelain, and a combination of these materials. Except for crowns utilized for children, most dental crowns are designed in a dental lab and customized to the specific tooth. Crowns are required when a tooth becomes damaged by decay, fracture, wear, or when there is a cosmetic issue (discolored or misshapen teeth). Cosmetic flaws or minor damages may also be corrected with thin front coverings called porcelain veneers, which typically preserve more tooth structure.

At your exam, our experienced team will perform a visual inspection of individual teeth and gums as well as take images to find infection or decay living under the surface. If we see any signs of tooth decay, infection, or broken teeth, we will discuss your options. Minor cavities can typically be treated with dental fillings and completed same day at our office. Larger cavities, teeth needing root canals, teeth that have undergone many dental fillings, and other scenarios may lead to the recommendation for a dental crown.

The material for your dental crown will depend on the location of the tooth, the structure of the opposing tooth, and the strength needed to last for many years in function. Dr. Baltz has many years of clinical experience to recommend the most esthetic, long-lasting option for your teeth. When it comes to front teeth, we are focused on esthetic options to create the most natural look for you. When it comes to back teeth, we recommend using a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown or a zirconia (all-porcelain) crown to give the most strength.

Crowns are excellent for patients who have severe tooth sensitivity, significant tooth fracture, or have undergone a root canal procedure that has left the tooth more brittle These prosthetics are durable and provide years of services if well maintained. Our crowns are maintained by a 5-year warranty as long as all hygiene appointments are maintained, and should last many more years beyond this time.

What Is a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge is a lab fabricated dental prosthetic designed to replace a missing tooth by connecting two crowns together with a “filler” tooth called a pontic. The prosthetic literally “bridges the gap” left from a missing tooth. The gap can be 1, 2, or 3+ teeth as long as there is a tooth on either side of the space. Tooth loss can occur for a variety of reasons such as decay, fracture, injury, and advanced gum disease. When teeth are lost, it is important to replace them to maintain bone levels in the mouth and promote a healthy level of chewing and nutrition.

Our doctors are dedicated to creating quality dental bridges that will last for many years. Form, function, and esthetics are accomplished with precision in prep design, dental photography to capture custom shade, and high quality local (Colorado) laboratories to design the custom final product. Bridges are cemented permanently in the mouth (you don’t take them out) and are recommended to avoid removable replacements such as dentures. It is best to replace missing teeth soon after a tooth is lost to avoid shifting teeth, poor bite, bone loss following tooth removal, and poor esthetics.

Our doctors record a custom intra-oral shade using a Cannon EOS Rebel 6 DSLR camera and a shade guide. Thus, the dental bridges completed in our office will match the shade of your existing teeth and are typically are made of zirconia (all-porcelain) in the anterior and porcelain-fused-to-metal in the posterior. The anchor crowns on either side hold the bridge in place permanently with dental cement so they do not need to be removed in any way. The tooth filling in the void, also known as a pontic, looks like a real tooth as it is shaped similarly to the missing tooth and is designed to emerge out of the gum tissue. The dental bridge is provided over two dental visits. The first appointment will involve preparing the tooth, creating an impression of the tooth, and fabricating a temporary that will simulate the bridge. The second appointment will involve removing the temporary and cementing the custom fitted bridge. Dental bridges can improve oral health by providing optimal form and functionality. These prosthetics are durable, last many years, and allow you to speak, eat, and drink normally. Dental bridges do require a higher level of hygiene to clean underneath the pontic and to keep the teeth on either side of the bridge decay and gum disease free. Our bridges all come with a 5 warranty as long as all hygiene appointments are maintained, but should last many more years beyond this time.

Same Day Crowns

We can fix your tooth in a matter of hours! Having a crown procedure done at most offices requires two visits. The first visit involves preparing the tooth, creating an impression, and fabricating a temporary. At the second visit (three weeks later), the crown is fitted and cemented. We have the modern technology with the ability to create your crown in a single visit. This technology, called E4D scanning and milling, is present at our premiere Aurora dental office for same day crowns. This device gives our dentists the ability to prepare and deliver crowns during the same appointment – a service that many dental offices don't have. You will be able to leave your appointment with a permanent crown, with no need for temporaries or a second visit. That is the Highpoint difference!

Dental Implant Crowns

Arguably the most important part of your dental implant is the crown attached to it. This should feel and look natural if done by experienced dentists like Dr. Baltz. Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth and are a great alternative to a dental bridge procedure because the adjacent teeth do not need to be prepared with a dental drill. Traditional dental implants consist of three parts: the implant screw, the attachment abutment, and the crown. The dental implant is placed in a single surgical visit, and the implant is fully restored after three months healing with the attached abutment and crown. With multiple missing teeth, a dental implant-supported bridge can be fabricated by placing two dental implants apart from each other and using a dental bridge to cement over the top of these parts.

If the missing tooth space is small, a mini implant and crown may be recommended. Mini implants typically are used to retain dentures in the mouth, but can be utilized in specific situations to replace a missing tooth. Please inquire about which dental implant option is best for you. Our dentists will ensure your implant feels like a natural tooth with proper placement and restoration.

The Dental Bridge Procedure

Before we recommend a crown or bridge, our doctors will provide a thorough exam and consultation. We offer second opinion consultations to patients undergoing advanced dental services such as crowns, bridges, smile makeovers, cosmetic dentistry options, and implant services. We will present all of our fees upfront so you can decide on how much, which area, and what kind of dental work you would like to have performed.

During your initial appointment, our doctors will examine your teeth, gums, jawbone, and overall condition of your mouth. After addressing your main concern, it is important to diagnose gum disease, occlusion, and tooth decay to avoid losing teeth. We are in the business of saving teeth when possible and desire to keep our patient’s from losing teeth as to avoid dentures. Once we are clear of your desires, we will customize a treatment plan to fit your needs and present it to you at a consultation. At this consultation, we will increase you dental IQ, educate you in matters of oral hygiene, and present the plan we customized to achieve your goals.

When it comes to dental crowns and bridges, experienced dentists such as Dr. Baltz, are the most qualified to give you a durable, quality, long-lasting result. The procedure begins by providing comfortable, profound anesthesia with the option of our complimentary nitrous oxide gas for relaxation. After numbing, we will prepare the necessary teeth and either scan or take an impression, which will be used to create the restoration in our office or high-quality dental lab.

During the next several weeks, you will wear a customized dental temporary to cover the teeth and emulate the final bridge. After the bridge is created and fitted in the mouth, it is permanently cemented at a second visit to result in durable new teeth that feel and function normally.

How Can I Prepare For A Crown Or Bridge?

Our experienced dental team will answer any questions you have to best prepare you for your crown or bridge procedure. It is recommended that you eat a normal meal, take Ibuprofen/Tylenol 1 hour before the appointment (this can be provided at your visit), and update our office to any medical history changes. As a personal preference, some people undergoing the bridge procedure prefer to take at least one day off of work after the procedure in case their tooth is sore. Softer foods are better for chewing with your temporary until the final bridge is created.

What Is the Recovery Process?

The recovery from dental crowns or bridges is typically minimal. Sensitivity can be a common side effect due to the response of the nerve from the tooth preparation. If a tooth is damaged with decay or fracture before the appointment, a tooth can be more prone to sensitivity. During your visit, we use several dental medications on your tooth to diminish sensitivity. However, if you encounter sensitivity or discomfort, we typically recommend over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen (as long as they are safe to your health). In rare circumstances, prescribed medication can help to cope with greater discomforts, but this should be discussed with our dentist. Make sure to discuss the oral pain medication you are taking with our dentist to make sure it is the best option with the least side effects. If you encounter problems, please call our office at 303-617-9100.

Can I Combine a Crown or Bridge with Another Procedure?

Dental crowns and bridges can be done in conjunction with other procedures, including teeth whitening, tooth fillings, and other services. Teeth whitening is common when we do crowns or bridges on anterior teeth to help achieve the best match and brighten a smile by removing organic stain from surrounding teeth. The ceramic porcelain materials used are designed to match the shade of your adjacent teeth, but they are stain-resistant and don’t respond to bleaching.

If a bridge is advised and other teeth require treatment, you may inquire about the general esthetics of your mouth. Some of these procedures that address esthetics and can be completed with a bridge or crown procedure would include:

Smile Makeover: The correction of several functional or cosmetic flaws at once.
Porcelain Veneers: Veneers are similar to crowns but are mainly used for if most tooth structure remains or a different cosmetic appearance is desired. They are thin porcelain shells customized to redesign the facing of a tooth presenting with chips, cracks, deep discoloration, and malalignment. Lumineers are a similar option, but unlike veneers and crowns, they require little to no enamel reduction and can be removed if necessary.
Dental Implants: Dental implants are used for cosmetic and restorative reasons. They’re not used in conjunction with a bridge, though, because an implant completely replaces missing teeth without the need for crowns on the adjacent teeth. Dental implants create an artificial root system within your jawbone using a metal post and a crown is screwed on top of it.
Composite Fillings: Many patients choose to replace old amalgam (combination of metals) fillings or discolored fillings with modern tooth-colored composite fillings.

Why Choose Highpoint Dental Care?

We pride ourselves on offering a higher level of customer service, increased efficiency, gentler techniques, and up-front cost presentation not performed at other offices. Most importantly, we listen to you and focus on your biggest priority. We know that we do exceptional, long-lasting dentistry, but we also ensure we educate patients on how to care for it to increase longevity of this care. Dr. Baltz provides gentle, quality care in a comfortable environment that eases anxiety and increases comfort in the dental chair. Our office delivers an array of dental services for patients of all ages: from kid-friendly care to complex dental implant and prosthetic solutions.

Our office offers nearly all procedures and treatments in-house, making it easy for you to have advanced dental procedures done without going to a second location for your dental work. Whether you come in for a routine checkup or an implant consultation, our skilled staff and dentist will make sure you leave with a clean smile and a plan for improving your oral health and aesthetic concerns. Trusted and experienced, our doctors have taken the time and made great efforts toward creating a practice that is equal parts gentle, friendly and expert. We are uncompromising in our commitments to patient care and satisfaction with the fabrication and placement of crowns and dental bridges.

Learn about our Refer a Friend Bonus and our New Patient Specials!