A crown is a cover for a damaged tooth. It’s designed in the shape of your original tooth and can enhance the tooth’s appearance and stability. The crown is placed on top of the original tooth, completely covering the area of the tooth that can be seen above the gum line. It’s sealed in place with special cement.
Your dentist at AAA Uptown Star Dental may suggest a crown in the following situations:
• Cracked tooth
• Chipped tooth
• Oddly-shaped tooth
• Recent root canal on a tooth
• Dark tooth

Dental crowns can effectively restore your smile’s beauty and function.
What are the Different Types of Crowns?
There are several different crown materials, including:
• Full Zirconia
• Zirconia Layered
• All-Ceramic
• Full porcelain
• Gold or another alloy
• Porcelain fused to metal

What Should I Expect When I Get a Crown?
A dental crown procedure generally requires at least two visits to the dentist. The first visit includes X-rays, and after that, your dentist administers anesthesia then files down or builds up the tooth.
Next, your dentist takes an impression of your teeth. The lab uses it to custom-make your crown. Your dentist fabricates a temporary crown to safeguard your tooth until the permanent crown is completed and in place.

A dental bridge is a fixed (non-removable) appliance and is an excellent way to replace missing teeth.
What are the Different Types of Bridges?
There are several options when getting a bridge, including:
• Traditional: the teeth on either side of the bridge get crowns for bridge support
• Cantilever: one neighboring tooth gets a crown for bridge support
• Resin-bonded: small wing like metal pieces on the replacement tooth attach to the adjacent teeth

Your dentist at AAA Uptown Star Dental can help you determine which bridge is best for your needs.
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Reasons for a fixed bridge:
• Fill space of missing teeth.
• Maintain facial shape.
• Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position.
• Restore chewing and speaking ability.
• Restore your smile.
• Upgrade from a removable partial denture to a permanent dental appliance.
What does getting a fixed bridge involve?
Getting a bridge usually requires two or more visits. While the teeth are numb, the two anchoring teeth are prepared by removing a portion of enamel to allow for a crown. Next, a highly accurate impression (mold) is made which will be sent to a dental laboratory where the bridge will be fabricated. In addition, a temporary bridge will be made and worn for few weeks until your next appointment.
At the second visit, your permanent bridge will be carefully checked, adjusted, and cemented to achieve a proper fit. Occasionally your dentist may only temporarily cement the bridge, allowing your teeth and tissue time to get used to the new bridge. The new bridge will be permanently cemented at a later time.
You will receive care instructions at the conclusion of the procedure. Proper brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new, permanent bridge.

Complete dentures can be either “conventional” or “immediate.” Made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has begun to heal, a conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth about eight to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed.
Unlike conventional dentures, immediate dentures are made in advance and can be positioned as soon as the teeth are removed. As a result, the wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, bones and gums shrink over time, especially during the healing period following tooth removal. Therefore a disadvantage of immediate dentures compared with conventional dentures is that they require more adjustments to fit properly during the healing process and generally should only be considered a temporary solution until conventional dentures can be made.

Depending on your needs and budget, your denturist can suggest three different materials for your partial dentures. These include:
ACRYLIC PARTIAL DENTURES
Acrylic is a rigid resin material. For dentures, it is gum colored base and enamel-colored teeth.
An acrylic partial denture is held in the mouth by metal clasps, which grip onto surrounding natural teeth. When in place, this metal is partially or fully covered by your mouth.
METAL COMBINATION PARTIAL DENTURES
This denture has a metal base, usually made from an alloy containing cobalt and chrome. Like an acrylic partial, the material used for the gums is a gum colored acrylic and the replacement teeth are enamel-colored resin.
Two major benefits of this type of denture are:
• They can be designed to be thin and strong
• They provide greater supporter for your remaining teeth
FLEXIBLE PARTIAL DENTURES
Instead of acrylic or metal, this partial denture is made from a flexible and versatile plastic which fits neatly into your mouth and is virtually invisible.
In addition, they DO NOT need metal clasps to keep them in place. Instead, these clasps are made from the same pink flexible material for more comfort and a better aesthetic appearance.

Fillings are the most common dental restoration performed at our office. Your dentist will carefully remove decay from your tooth, and fill the remaining cavity with natural tooth-colored composite resin. For both cosmetic and health reasons, our doctors choose composite fillings over traditional silver (amalgam) fillings.