Cosmetic Crowns and Veneers
If your smile is the window to your soul, then your teeth are the shutters that add a touch of beauty and personality. (OK, a tad corny…but it got your attention.)
Seriously, appearance of your teeth can impact both the way others see you and the way you see yourself. When a tooth is damaged, a restorations designed to look like a natural tooth.
Dr. Robert Solow can often repair the tooth with a filling, dental bonding or porcelain veneer. But when none of these methods is effective, a dental crown – also known as a cap – is the best alternative.
Restore and Renew
Veneers and crowns are crafted from tooth-colored porcelain. But where a veneer is applied only to the front surface of the tooth, a crown fits over the entire surface of the damaged tooth, providing both cosmetic and restorative benefits.
Dr. Solow’s on-site technician is a second generation artisan. He grew up in Dr. Solow’s dental office (literally), studied fine art at UCLA and returned to fabricate very custom dental restorations, creating natural looking smiles. You can look forward to virtually undetectable restorations.
A Brighter Smile in Just 2 Visits
While we offer same day restorations utilizing CEREC technology, certain procedures and conditions are best addressed using a standard “crown and bridge” laboratory. At Dr. Solow’s office, we have that covered.
When a lab designed dental crown is preferred, the process is typically completed in two visits. During the first visit, the tooth is “prepared” any and all decay or damage is removed from the tooth. In the case of a veneer, where the restoration is affixed to the front of the tooth, the surface is etched for bonding. (Think about the prep for acrylic fingernails…) Then, an impression of the prepared tooth is taken, and, in most cases,”sent” to the laboratory in the back of the office where the dental crown (or veneer) is designed according to exact specifications so that the end result looks as if it has always been a perfect fit. Finally, Dr. Solow fits the tooth with a temporary crown (or veneer) that allows you to chew normally (but carefully!) until your final restoration is delivered.
When the customized crown is completed, you’ll return patient to have the crown or veneer cemented or “bonded” over the prepared tooth. Dr. Solow carefully checks the fit and makes adjustments where necessary, to ensure a proper match and optimum support for the tooth. The dental technician is available to make any color corrections.
In addition to its role of providing support and restoring functionality to a damaged or decayed tooth, a dental crown may also “anchor” a dental bridge or serve as a replacement tooth on a dental implant post. The crown is always created in a way that it that it best blends naturally with your other teeth.
Typically, the entire crown restoration process takes no more than two weeks. This includes:
- Preparing the decayed or damaged/broken tooth
- Taking an impression of the affected area and of your bite
- Installing a temporary crown
- Bonding your permanent crown into place
Two weeks, two visits. That’s it.
Sit Back and Relax
Tell us how we can make your time with us as pleasant as possible. And let Dr. Solow and his staff put the crowning touch on your beautiful smile.