A cracked, heavily filled, or root-canal-treated tooth often needs more structural support than a filling can provide — our Dental Crowns And Bridges process starts with a digital impression so the fit is right the first time.
Every Smile Center Dentistry office offering Dental Crowns And Bridges is held to the same four standards, verified before the office ever joins our network.
Digital impressions also tend to produce a more accurate final fit than traditional molds.
Zirconia, e.max, and porcelain-fused-to-metal each have different strength, appearance, and cost tradeoffs — we'll walk through them clearly.
Heavily damaged teeth sometimes need a post-and-core buildup before a crown can be placed securely.
If a crown or bridge doesn't fit right, adjustment is covered within the warranty period at no extra charge.
Here's the range of Dental Crowns And Bridges our Durham team handles most, described the way we'd explain it chairside rather than in marketing language.
Zirconia is highly durable and well-suited for back teeth that handle heavy chewing forces. This tends to be our go-to recommendation for molars and premolars.
E.max offers excellent translucency and esthetics, making it a strong choice for visible front teeth. We'll walk through the esthetic-versus-strength tradeoff for your specific tooth.
PFM crowns combine a metal substructure with a porcelain outer layer, offering a proven, durable option at a lower cost than all-ceramic choices. Cost tends to be lower than zirconia or e.max for comparable durability.
A fixed bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring to the natural teeth on either side of the gap. We'll compare bridge and implant options honestly if you're weighing both.
This step is assessed case by case, not applied automatically to every crown. The buildup is usually completed at the same visit as crown preparation.
We'll tell you honestly if a repair will realistically hold up, rather than patching something that needs full replacement. Repairs are typically faster and less costly when they're a genuinely viable option.
No mystery about what happens between calling us and walking out with the problem addressed.
A quick call starts the repair-or-replace assessment process.
We scan the tooth digitally and walk through material options — zirconia, e.max, or PFM — based on your case.
Any post-and-core buildup is included in the quote if needed.
The permanent crown or bridge is fitted, checked for bite, and adjusted until it feels right.
We publish these as-is, because that's the only kind of review worth reading before booking Dental Crowns And Bridges.
“They walked me through zirconia versus e.max for my case and I ended up choosing based on which tooth was actually visible when I smile.”
“Digital impression meant no more gagging on that awful putty tray from my last dentist. Fit was perfect on the first try too.”
“My old bridge was failing and they gave me an honest comparison between repairing it and just replacing it outright.”
“Post-and-core buildup after my root canal made sense once they showed me the X-ray. Crown has held up great since.”
“PFM crown on a back molar was the practical, affordable choice and they didn't push the pricier options on me.”
Straight answers to what people actually want to know before committing to Dental Crowns And Bridges.
Zirconia is very durable and good for back teeth; e.max offers superior esthetics for front teeth; PFM is a proven, lower-cost option combining metal and porcelain.
Regular checkups help us catch wear or damage early, extending the restoration's lifespan.
Not every crown needs this step; it depends on how much natural tooth remains.
A bridge relies on adjacent teeth for support; an implant doesn't, which factors into the recommendation.
If the underlying fit or tooth structure has changed significantly, replacement is usually the more durable choice.
Some offices offer same-day crown options; ask if that applies to your specific case.
If you're unsure whether your part of Durham is covered, a quick call settles it faster than searching online.
We provide Dental Crowns And Bridges to Durham patients with material options explained clearly, not defaulted to whatever's most profitable. If you're comparing a bridge to an implant, the assessment visit is the right place to ask both questions.
