Crowns, bridges, and veneers
crowns
Dental crowns are indicated when a large portion of the tooth is missing from decay or fractures and fully covers the visible portion of your tooth. To prepare, the tooth is smoothed to create space and an impression is taken. The impression is then sent to the lab and a crown is made that will be permanently bonded onto your reshaped tooth. With proper care and good hygiene a crown can last anywhere from 5 to 15 years.
bridges
Dental bridges are an option for patients who would like to restore a missing tooth. Teeth on either side of the “gap” are smoothed similar to a crown. Once they are prepared an impression is taken and a lab will make two retainer teeth - teeth that will be on either side of the space - and a pontic - the missing tooth - into one piece that will be permanently bonded in the mouth. With proper care and hygiene bridges can last 10 years or more.
veneers
A veneer is often used when teeth are heavily discolored, chipped, or misaligned; in some instances, they are used to “fill the gap” between two healthy teeth. There are two types of veneers that we offer at Leonard Smiles. First type is a traditional veneer. The traditional veneer requires a small amount of enamel to be removed to make a place for the veneer. A lab will then use an impression of the removed enamel and make a cover that will be bonded into place. The second type of veneer offered is a Lumineer or “no prep” veneer. These do not require enamel removal and can be bonded directly on top of your natural teeth.