Crowns, Bridges, & Onlays

Dental Crowns in Santa Monica, CA

Often times larger tooth defects cannot be reliably repaired with bonding or veneers and need to be treated with a different approach.  This is when crowns, inlays and onlays, and (in the case of missing teeth) bridges, can be of benefit to our patients.

Crowns fully cover the tooth. It is the traditional treatment for large fractures, defects, root canal-treated teeth, or cracked teeth. Although modern onlays can often fix many defects, excessive loss of tooth structure, root-canal treated teeth, or large fractures will still necessitate a crown. 

Crowns can also be done for cosmetic reasons to quickly reposition severely rotated or malpositioned teeth when veneers or orthodontics are not an option for a beautiful, natural-looking smile. Placement of a crown provides a strong, long-lasting, and esthetic outcome for compromised teeth indistinguishable from natural teeth.

Materials can range from gold to porcelain-fused-to-gold to all porcelain, depending on the patient’s individual circumstances.

Our standard fee does not discriminate between materials used. Whether LAVA, EMAX, Zirconia, Porcelain, or Gold is used, our fee stays the same.

We complete the process from beginning to end with the finest materials. We use disposable preparation burs, premium impression materials, Structure 3 temporaries and only the most reputable and highest quality dental laboratories and master ceramicist in the area.

Dental Bridges

A bridge replaces missing teeth by placing crowns (or sometimes inlays or onlays for front teeth) on either side of the space and connecting them in one single unit. This is the traditional permanent treatment for replacing missing teeth, especially when there is insufficient bone for implants.

Long-term success depends on the health of the anchor/abutment teeth on either side and the ability to floss underneath and keep the anchor (abutment) teeth clean

We use a variety of materials to achieve the best possible esthetic and functional outcomes, including Full Zirconia, Partial Zirconia (layered porcelain), and traditional porcelain fused to Gold bridges. The material used depends on the location and space available. Again, only the best dental laboratories are used to fabricate our restorations and achieve a beautiful and strong result.

Inlays & Onlays

Inlay and onlays are the best long-term conservative treatment option for repair of large fillings, fractures, and cracked teeth. When conventional composite/resin fillings have a poor prognosis due to the size of the defect, ceramic/nanoceramic inlays and onlays offer the strength of the more traditional crowns without requiring the aggressive loss of tooth structure. 

Using modern technologies, like Our CEREC Omnicam and Itero digital scanners, the defect can be scanned and designed using CAD/CAM technology and a puzzle-like ceramic piece can be fabricated in-office and bonded to repair and replace the defect on the same day, eliminating the need for multiple visits or use of temporaries.