Dental Crowns and Bridges in NYC

It's a fact of life that sometimes you have to lose some permanent teeth. Whether you lose your permanent teeth due to tooth decay, gum disease, or an accident, it's a tough thing to face. Not only does it affect your smile, it can also affect the health of your neighboring teeth.

When a tooth is lost, it alters the landscape of your mouth, changing the forces in your mouth that support your teeth and regulate your chewing. The remaining teeth above or below the lost tooth may begin to shift or even move out of the socket, risking gum disease or further breaking down your bone structure. This can affect your natural bite and your normal chewing forces, causing additional stress which can put your other teeth at risk of being lost.

The good news is, with crowns and bridges, you can restore these lost teeth so that they are perfect replacements for the teeth that were lost. And Dr. Yampolsky's practice in midtown Manhattan puts pride not just in providing you the best dental treatment, but also providing you some of the best aethetics available in NYC, making your smile even better than it was than when you had permanent teeth.

What is a dental crown?

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is prepared to look like your existing, damaged tooth. Your existing tooth is carefully prepared, and the crown is placed over it, completely covering the visible portion of the tooth at and above the gumline. The effect is to strengthen, restore, or improve the appearance of the underlying tooth. Crown (and bridges) are usually made from a combination of strong, long-lasting materials such as semi-precious or precious metals fused to porcelain.

Doctor Yampolsky has special training from New York University not just in the technical aspects of placing crowns, but also in the art of crafting and creating crowns to look exactly like your remaining teeth and to provide you the best smile possible.

What is a Fixed Bridge?

If you have completely lost a tooth (or multiple teeth), you'll need more than a dental crown. A dental bridge is a device which is anchored to the good teeth around your missing teeth.

To place a bridge, the good teeth on both sides of the missing teeth are first prepared with crowns that will serve to hold the replacement teeth in place. As with dental crowns, Dr. Yampolsky's expert eye will make sure that your replacement teeth are both functional and have a superior appearance.

How is a crown or bridge placed?

To prepare the tooth, it will be reduced so the crown can fit over it. An impression of your entire mouth is then made and sent to the lab so a custom crown can be created specifically for you.

Dr. Yampolsky will create a temporary crown and fit it over your tooth until the permanent crown is made. When the permanent crown is ready, she will remove the temporary crown and cement the permanent one in place.

Will it look natural?

Yes. Dr. Yampolsky's main goal is to restore your complete, natural smile. To achieve the best look possible, she will consider a number of factors, including the color, bite, shape, and length of your natural teeth prior to fabricating the temporary and permanent crowns.

How long do crowns or bridge last?

Under normal conditions, crowns and bridges will last from five to eight years. But with good oral hygiene and regular visits to our office, most crowns will last much longer period. It's important to avoid damaging habits such as tooth grinding, chewing ice, or biting fingernails.

How should I take care of my crowns or bridge? Once your crowns are in, you'll want to avoid damaging or fracturing them. So avoid chewing ice, hard food, or other hard things. You'll also want to avoid teeth grinding.

Cleaning between your teeth is especially important with crowns. Use tools like floss or between-the-teeth cleaners to remove plaque from the area where the gum meets the tooth, which can cause dental decay and gum disease.

For more information on Dr. Yampolsky's brdiges and crowns, please contact us.