Are you suffering from badly decayed, damaged, or missing teeth? At Dr. Sam's Premier Dentistry in Sherman, TX, we offer a variety of restorative treatment options depending on your oral health condition. Crowns and bridges are two of the most widely-used and popular treatments for a variety of dental problems. In cases where a tooth is badly damaged but can still be preserved, we use a dental crown to restore the tooth back to its functional state. In some cases where extraction is inevitable, dental bridges are a solution to tooth loss.

Sometimes referred to as a cap, a dental crown covers a damaged tooth, restoring its shape, size and strength. A crown looks like a regular tooth but can be made from a variety of synthetic materials. Some of the most common choices include ceramic, porcelain fused to metal or all-porcelain.

Once the crown is in place, it completely sheaths the damaged tooth within it, making it an ideal cosmetic solution as well as a practical one.

Dr. Sam may recommend a dental crown as the most suitable solution for you if you have a tooth that is:

You may also be recommended to have a crown if you are having a dental bridge, as crowns are used to anchor the bridge securely in place.

Dental crowns can usually be fitted in just a couple of visits to our offices after your consultation.

During your first visit, we will take images of your mouth and jaw in order to ascertain the extent of damage both above and below the surface of the tooth. This will also help us ensure that there is no further dental work that needs to be carried out before your crown can be fitted.

After we get an accurate read on the condition of your teeth, we will need to prepare your affected tooth to make space for the crown to fit properly over the top of it. This may involve shaping it down if it is too large, or building it up if it is too badly eroded or broken to support the crown.

We will then need to take impressions of your affected tooth and the surrounding teeth, which will be used to create your custom-fit crown. In the meantime, we will fit you with a temporary crown.

Once your final crown is ready, we will remove the temporary crown and the permanent one cemented firmly into place.

A dental bridge is a way of replacing teeth that have fallen out or been extracted. Bridges work by literally bridging the gap that has been left, filling it with a false tooth, known as a pontic.

The bridge is constructed of two or more crowns on both sides of the gap, with a replacement tooth in the middle. The crowns act as anchors for the bridge, as they are bonded to existing teeth in the mouth, creating an ultra-secure foundation.

Like crowns, the pontic can be made from a variety of materials including metal, porcelain or even gold, to fit with your desired cosmetic appearance.

If you have missing teeth, we might recommend that you have a dental bridge to:

Getting fitted for a dental bridge is a fairly simple process.

Before treatment, we will do a thorough check of your teeth and gums to ensure that there is no other dental work that needs to be completed before your bridge procedure.

We will then prepare the teeth that will receive the supporting crowns for your bridge, in exactly the same way described in the crowns procedure above. We will also take impressions of your teeth which will be used to create your custom-designed bridge. In the meantime, you will be fitted with a temporary cover.

Once your bridge is ready, we will remove the temporary crown, and secure your new bridge into place. In some instances, we may first implant your bridge with a temporary adhesive to check that it is completely comfortable before we cement it permanently.

Dr. Sam and the team at Dr. Sam's Premier Dentistry have extensive skills and experience in providing high quality restorative dental treatments. Preserve your smile by treating your dental damage today, make an appointment at our modern, comfortable offices in Sherman, TX at 903-708-6400.