Fillings, crowns, & bridges in Berkley

How Do I Know If I Need a Tooth Filling?

A tooth filling is a common procedure that is used to repair a decayed tooth. If you're experiencing pain when biting, tooth sensitivity, or inflammation in the gums surrounding a certain tooth, you may have a cavity that requires treatment. When you arrive at our office for your filling appointment, your dentist will remove the decayed material from your tooth, carefully clean out the tooth, and fill the cavity. Fillings can be made from gold, porcelain, composite resin, and a number of other materials. In addition to providing relief from pain, dental fillings also help to preserve teeth from further damage by stopping decay in its tracks. Seeking help as soon as you suspect a cavity is important because the tooth filling cost is much lower compared to some of the intensive restorative treatments that are required once the decay becomes more severe.

How Do I Know If I Need a Dental Crown or Tooth Bridge?

Crowns and bridges can play important roles in restoring your smile if you're dealing with decay or missing teeth. Both are dental prosthetics that recreate the look and function of real teeth. While crowns are used following root canals and implants, bridges are used when one or more teeth will need to be replaced. A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers and protects a damaged or compromised tooth. A bridge consists of a row of what dentists call "pontic" teeth.

What makes crowns and bridges different from dentures is that they are actually bonded to the teeth. Only your dentist can remove them. However, crowns and bridges aren't fused to the jawbone the way that a dental implant would be. However, implants are often used to support dental bridges when a person needs to replace several teeth at once.

Where Can I Go for Fillings, Crowns, and Bridges?

These important restorative procedures can all be offered by your neighborhood dentist! The best way to determine if you need restorative work done is to simply book a routine cleaning appointment. During your dental examination, your dentist will look for signs that indicate cavities or decay that could be serious enough to require a restorative treatment. Of course, you shouldn't hesitate to book a dental exam near you if you're noticing pain, inflammation, or visible damage in any of your teeth.

While a filling requires only a quick appointment, crown and bridge work can require more planning due to the fact that your dentist will be creating custom dental caps or false teeth to align naturally with your smile. If it's been determined that you need a crown or bridge, our team will go over any questions you have about payments, insurance, or timelines for treatment.

How Much Does a Filling, Dental Bridge, or Crown Cost?

These restorative treatments are always customized to meet the needs of each patient. For this reason, it's impossible to provide an online quote for restorative dental work. As a patient, you'll work with your dentist to choose the types of materials you'd like to use for your restorative work. This will have an impact on price. Our dental office will provide you with an estimate for dental bridge cost, dental crown cost, cavity filling cost, and any other procedures that are recommended by your dentist to help you make an informed decision before moving forward.

Are There Different Types of Tooth Fillings?

Modern restorative dentistry gives patients many different options. With fillings, you can choose from designs that are intended to look just like your natural teeth. If you've had fillings in the past, you should know that today's fillings can offer a discreet, comfortable way to repair a tooth compared to the fillings of the old days. Popular filling materials today include tooth-colored composite, porcelain, gold, or silver amalgam. Rest assured that we'll help you select an option that's right for you! Our friendly dental staff will be happy to go over dental filling cost with you when you book your appointment.

Are There Different Types of Crowns?

Yes, dental crowns come in a variety of different styles. We help our patients determine the right crown option based on where a new crown will be positioned in the mouth. Common options used today include porcelain fused to metal, ceramic, and gold alloy. Generally, ceramic crowns and porcelain crowns are recommended for restoring a visible tooth with a front tooth crown due to their aesthetic appeal. A gold crown is considered more appropriate for back teeth. When you book an appointment, we'll cover crown costs for various options with you.

Are There Different Types of Bridges?

Our dental office provides several bridge types for patients to choose from. A dental bridge can provide a great way to restore several teeth at once without the time and cost associated with individual dental implants. When creating a custom bridge for a patient, our office will fabricate crowns for teeth or implants located on the perimeters of the area that will be bridged. Next, the "fake teeth" known as pontics are placed within the space. If you have adjacent teeth on just one side of the area that requires bridging, a cantilever dental bridge may be recommended.

What Happens When You Get a Dental Crown?

Dental crown placement happens in several steps. The reason why the process takes time is that our office will create a custom tooth crown for you that matches the look of your natural teeth. During your first visit, your dentist will shape and prepare the tooth that is getting the crown. Additionally, impressions of the tooth will be taken to help create a realistic-looking custom crown. We will likely fit you with a temporary crown that will keep the damaged tooth covered and protected until your permanent crown is ready. Once your crown has been made, our office will schedule you to come in to have the crown placed and cemented.

What Happens When You Get a Tooth Bridge?

Generally, placement of a bridge happens over the course of two appointments. During your initial visit, we'll prepare the abutment teeth that will be used to secure the bridge in place by removing just a small bit of the enamel. We'll also use this appointment to create impressions of your teeth that will serve as real-life models for the bridge and crowns that will be placed in your mouth. We'll fit you with a temporary bridge that you can wear for aesthetic purposes while your custom bridge is being created. When you come back for your second appointment, the bridge will be placed. If you have questions about the dental bridge procedure and associated costs, we'll be happy to go over all details with you during a consultation.

Your Local Dentist Can Provide a Crown, Dental Bridge, or Filling

Our dental office can help to restore your smile if you need a crown, dental bridge, filling, or any other restorative procedure to improve the look and health of your smile. We utilize the best materials and techniques at our pristine, state-of-the-art dental office. Don't put off important dental work. Call today to schedule your consultation.