Dental Crowns

If you are suffering with a cracked, broken, or missing tooth, a dental crown may be just what you need to regain your self-confidence. A crown, or a “cap”, fits over your teeth like a baseball cap and is designed to fix imperfections such as:

Dental crowns can enhance and brighten your smile while making your teeth more durable. At Proud to Smile Dentistry, we use the latest in crown information and technology to create a cap that best fits your needs. With the assistance of a highly trained and experienced ceramist, we can fix your teeth and send you on your way in no time at all.

We provide all-porcelain and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. The most aesthetically pleasing option is an all-porcelain crown. With porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, our cosmetic dentists must apply an opaque layer over the metal to mask its color. Because of this, it is not possible to have a completely translucent restoration that simulates the translucent appearance of your real teeth. However, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are generally stronger because of the metal. The type of crown you choose will depend on your specific needs.

Porcelain is a particular type of ceramic that is created through stacking and firing. At Proud to Smile Dentistry, we use Empress and Zircona crowns.

Empress is a ceramic material that is not exactly porcelain but more like glass. The material is cast rather than baked like a feldspathic porcelain crown would be. One benefit to this type of crown is its fit. Empress is more precise than the baked feldspathic porcelain. It is also strong, beautiful, and remarkably biocompatible. Unlike other porcelain crowns, which tend to wear opposing teeth more than usual, Empress is very gentle on your other natural teeth.

Zirconia is a very tough ceramic material that can be made incredibly thin. These types of crowns contain no metal and can be made to look opaque or translucent, depending on your needs. If the zirconia crown is bonded onto the tooth rather than cemented with dental cement, it will not show a black line at the gums the way a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown can.

Both types of dental crowns are ideal for patients who are sensitive to metal or simply prefer the look of metal-free restorations.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns can replicate your real teeth and are traditionally stronger than ceramic crowns. They can be matched to your natural teeth for an attractive appearance. The downside is that the porcelain can become chipped and the underlying metal can peek through as a dark line. The line can become more and more visible as your gums recede.

At Proud to Smile Dentistry, we use a CEREC machine — the latest in dental computer technology — to design, create, and place restorations in one visit. Why go to the dentist a second time when you don’t have to?

CEREC crown technology lets us use strong, tooth-colored ceramic materials to restore your teeth to their natural strength and function. We also use a dental ceramist, a specialist who is very adept at completing detailed, work to create the highest quality crowns, bridges, and tooth facings according to the specifications and molds supplied by our dental team.

If you want that healthy, amazing smile that you have dreamed of, please contact Aesthetic Dentistry of Bernardsville today by calling (908) 888-9858 or completing our form online. Dr. Patti Swaintek-Lamb and her skilled dental team proudly serve patients from Bernardsville, Morristown, Basking Ridge, Mendham, Chester, Far Hills, and nearby areas in New Jersey.