Complete Your Smile With Dr. Bassford
Your smile can leave a lasting, eye-catching first impression. That’s why Dr. Alice Charland Bassford uses natural-looking, beautiful dental crowns and bridges to restore the beauty, feel, and function of your smile. These restorations will have you looking your best while strengthening your oral health.
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown, also known as a cap, is used to cover a decayed, damaged, or unattractive tooth. They’re customized to comfortably fit along the gum line, enhancing the color, size, and shape of your natural teeth. Depending on your individual needs, crowns can be made with porcelain, ceramic, or metal alloy material.
Benefits of Crowns
Our natural-looking, beautiful dental crowns offer a number of advantages, such as:
- Protect a cracked, chipped, or fractured tooth
- Support a tooth damaged by decay
- Improve the appearance of crooked teeth
- Enhance the brightness of your smile
- Restore a tooth after root canal therapy
The Crowning Process
The crowning process is completed right here, at our Silver Spring office, in as little as two to three appointments. Dr. Bassford can enhance your smile in just a few simple steps:
- At your first appointment, Dr. Bassford will examine your oral health, discuss your smile and treatment goals, and recommend which type of dental crown is best for you.
- We’ll prepare your natural tooth by shaping it to ensure a perfect and snug fit for your new crown. You’ll receive a local anesthetic to relieve any pain or discomfort.
- After your tooth is prepared, Dr. Bassford will take high-quality, digital impressions of your teeth to make sure your restoration is designed to match the look, feel, and function of your natural teeth. We’ll then send these images to a special lab.
- We’ll provide you with a temporary crown to protect the tooth until your permanent, customized crown is ready for placement.
- Once your crown is ready, you’ll return to our Silver Spring office so Dr. Bassford can attach your permanent crown to the tooth. We’ll use a strong dental resin to secure it, which hardens when exposed to a special light.
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a restoration treatment that “bridges” the gap between two or more missing teeth. The replacement tooth in a bridge is called a pontic which is secured by a natural-looking dental crown or implant. Porcelain is the best material for bridges because it matches the strength and appearance of your natural teeth.
Dr. Bassford may need to reshape neighboring teeth at the end of each gap so your temporary crowns are securely fitted. Once your bridge is custom-created, you’ll return to our Silver Spring practice to have it placed.
Benefits of Bridges
Bridges are an affordable, seamless-looking restoration solution for patients looking to:
- Restore your ability to chew and speak
- Prevent your natural teeth from shifting
- Preserve the natural shape of your face
- Replace a number of missing teeth
- Enhance the aesthetic of your smile
Frequently Asked Questions
While your permanent bridge is created, we’ll provide you with a temporary bridge after your teeth have been prepared so you won’t have to go a day without a complete smile. The temporary bridge will be removed after your custom-made, permanent bridge is ready and your permanent crown is placed. This can typically be done in as little as two visits to our office in Silver Spring, MD.
Dental crowns and bridges are designed to last anywhere from five to fifteen years with good oral hygiene and care. This means brushing and flossing regularly, as well as scheduling bi-annual dental check-ups and cleanings. Dr. Bassford and our Silver Spring team will help ensure that they’re properly maintained to last for years.
Unfortunately, regular teeth whitening treatments won’t work on a dental crown. Our porcelain crowns are resistant to staining and personalized to match the shade of your natural teeth. If your natural teeth begin to stain, our practice features whitening treatments to ensure they seamlessly blend in with your restoration.
If your crown or bridge has been damaged, contact our office at (301) 593-5500 at your earliest convenience to schedule an appointment. Depending on the severity, Dr. Bassford may be able to repair or replace your restoration after examining it.
Restore Your Smile Today
If you have damaged or missing teeth, Dr. Bassford can restore your smile and strengthen your oral health with dental crowns and bridges. Give us a call at (301) 593-5500 or fill out a contact form to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bassford. We’re excited to give you a new, beautiful smile that’s worth feeling proud of.