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Dental Crowns & Bridges
Montecito

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creating beautiful teeth restorations

You will notice right away that as a cosmetic and restorative dentist, Dr. Martinez is an artist who uses her talent to create beautiful restorations. By combining the science of dentistry with her artistic touch, Dr. Martinez crafts strong, natural-looking dental crowns Montecito patients are proud of.

Crowns give back strength, function, and aesthetic appearance to a damaged or missing tooth. There are several different materials that can be used to create a crown, including metal, porcelain, a combination of the two, and other very strong tooth-colored materials such as zirconia and lithium disilicate. If Dr. Martinez determines that the best way to repair your tooth is with a dental crown, she’ll take the time to carefully discuss your options and make recommendations for materials that will look, function, and feel the best for your smile.

We proudly serve the Montecito and Santa Barbara area.

DENTAL CROWNS - SANTA BARBARA ≫
patient after her cosmetic dentistry in santa barbara

artistic ceramists for
the perfect smile

Dr. Martinez is very thankful to the very high-end dental lab that helps her custom-craft crowns for her patients. Our lab ceramists are also artists who use only the finest techniques and materials. As a team, Dr. Martinez and our lab ceramists produce beautiful, high-quality crowns for patients who may:

  • Have a severely decay-damaged tooth
  • Have received a root canal
  • Have a broken or cracked tooth
  • Have just received a dental implant
  • Need support for a dental bridge

What are dental bridges?

Bridges are used by dentists to replace missing teeth. Our dental bridges in Montecito will fill the space where the tooth is missing and will be cemented to the natural teeth surrounding the empty space. These dental bridges will be attached to crowns that will be fixed in the space. The most common dental bridges are made from porcelain or ceramic, and these will be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

woman smiling with dental bridges in Montecito

What are the different types of dental crowns?

Dental crowns can be made with different materials, including – porcelain, zirconia, metal, ceramic, composite resin, as well as a combination of two or more of these materials. The material for the dental crown will be selected by our dentist based on a number of factors like:

  • Where the tooth is located
  • Position of the gum tissue
  • Whether or not the tooth is completely exposed when you smile
  • The current health of the natural tooth
  • Color of the remaining teeth

How long will the
dental crown last?

The lifespan of dental crowns usually ranges between five to fifteen years. This duration varies based on the wear and tear caused to the crown, as well as the oral hygiene you maintain during this period. If you are prone to dental habits like chewing ice, teeth grinding, or clenching your jaw, the dental crown may wear out sooner.

How to take care of your permanent dental crown?

A crowned tooth is just as susceptible to damage as any other tooth in the mouth. Under the wrong circumstances, your crowned tooth can also develop dental decay or gum disease. In order to avoid the same, remember to practice good oral hygiene – which includes brushing the teeth twice a day, flossing the crowned tooth on a daily basis, as well as using a good antibacterial mouthwash on a regular basis.

what is the procedure for
getting a dental crown?

The entire process requires at least two visits. On the first visit, you can discuss the issues concerning your teeth, and on the second visit, the dentist will place the crown. Our clinic provides a safe and simple procedure for dental crowns Montecito patients are proud to have.

Step 1. Consultation and preparation
When you come into our Montecito dental clinic, you will have a consultation with our expert dentist. Based on your concerns and the health of your teeth, our dentist will suggest the right dental crown procedure for you. Next, X-rays will be taken in order to check the roots of the tooth that requires a crown fitting. If the tooth is not healthy due to decay or if there is a risk of infection, there will be a suitable treatment to repair the damage before moving on with the procedure.

After this, our dentist will numb the area surrounding the tooth and reshape the chewing surface as well as the sides. The filing of the tooth is done to make space for the crown to be fitted, and the amount of reshaping done will vary based on the material being used for the dental crown. If the tooth is broken or damaged, the filling material can be used to create more of a tooth-like shape, to give the dental crown a proper foundation for support.

After the tooth is filed down, our dental expert will use a mold made of paste or putty to make an impression of the tooth structure. Impressions can also be made using a digital scanner. Additionally, the dental impressions of the other surrounding teeth will also be taken to ensure that the new dental crown placement does not affect the bite.

man smiling with dental crowns in Montecito

Following the above, the teeth impressions are sent to our top-quality lab to facilitate the crown manufacturing process. In the case of porcelain dental crowns, our highly certified lab ceramists will choose a shade of material that closely resembles your natural tooth color. As the tooth will be sensitive after it is reshaped, you will be given a temporary crown that will cover and protect your tooth until the permanent crown can be fixed. These temporary crowns are fixed in the mouth using dental cement and are typically made of acrylic. The entire process of manufacturing and perfecting the dental crown takes anywhere between two to three weeks.

Step 2. Permanently fixing the dental crown
After a couple of weeks, you will be called in to finish the dental crown procedure. The temporary crown will be removed, and our dentist will check if the new dental crown is the right fit and color for you. Next, you will be given a numbing agent and our dentist will then apply dental cement to prepare the tooth for the crown. Lastly, the new dental crown is permanently fixed to your tooth.

are you ready to
restore your smile?

If you are considering dental crowns and bridges, our experts will help you choose the right solution.

Once your tooth has been restored, you may forget dentistry was ever involved in the repair of your smile. To find out more about how Riviera Smiles has perfected dental bridges and crowns in Montecito, call our office today!

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