Crowns & Bridges
Tooth Restorations for All Cases
Crowns and Bridges are amongst one of the most common dental fixtures required all over the world. At Astro Dental Art, we have a wide variety of Crowns & Bridges to suit both your budget and your aesthetic needs.
All-Ceramic Crowns & Bridges
All-Ceramic crowns and bridges are cosmetic dental restorations that are designed to either cap or completely cover a tooth that is being restored. It is the most natural-looking tooth replacement.
Types of All-Ceramic Crowns & Bridges
The Zirconia Solid all-ceramic crowns & bridges are monolithic and made purely from zirconia, and 100% metal-free.
The Zirconia HT is are highly translucent all-ceramic crowns & bridges that are much stronger than PFM products.
The Zirconia Layered all-ceramic crowns & bridges are extremely strong and designed for multi-unit bridges where the IPS e.max® is not suitable.
With versatility, reliability and longevity in mind, e.max® is unmatched in clinical success. With biocompatible lithium disilicate ingots, e.max® offers optimized esthetic properties, creating restorations that offer true-to-natural results.
The ultimate in metal-free esthetics and durability for both anterior and posterior applications. Provides unmatched strength (400 MPa flexural strength). Indicated for single-unit crowns and 3-unit anterior bridge cases (from 2nd bi-cuspid forward).
Etching & Silanization
Etching & Silanization is the process of creating an appropriate surface to bond the IPS e.max®. It is important as it helps the IPS e.max® attach to teeth more securely and therefore allows the IPS e.max® to have a longer lifespan. Astro Dental Art provides Etching and Silanization service for our clients. Call us at (403) 455-0300 for more information or to book an appointment.
Process of Etching & Silanization
STEP 1 – Buffered Hydrofluoric Acid Gel
Bisco’s Porcelain Etchant improves the adhesive bond between porcelain and cement by increasing the surface area of the porcelain to be bonded. The effect is similar to sandblasting but is more controlled and effective. Porcelain Etchant will microscopically roughen the feldspathic porcelain or glass surface. Bisco’s Porcelain Etchant is available in 2 concentrations: 4% or 9.5% (Hydrofluoric Acid Gel).
STEP 2 – 37% Phosphoric Acid Etchant with Benzalkonium Chloride
Etch-37 w/BAC is a 37% phosphoric acid semi-gel etchant that is effective at quickly etching enamel and dentin. Etch-37 w/BAC is polymer-thickened and effectively removes the smear layer, etches and demineralizes enamel and dentin. It is easily manipulated into small areas such as endodontically treated root canals and undercuts. This makes it more versatile than some thicker gel etchants for etching all restorative surfaces. Published research proves that Bisco etchants produce higher bond strengths to (wet or dry) dentin1 and enamel.
- Rinses away cleanly and quickly leaving no residue to interfere with bonding
- Blue in color for easy visualization and contrast
- Creates microretentive surface characteristics that are necessary for successful bonding.
- New bulk syringe delivery system available
- Contains benzalkonium chloride (BAC), an antimicrobial agent. In-vitro research shows it is effective against Actinomyces viscosus.
STEP 3 – Bis-Saline
A two-part Silane coupling agent offering additional shelf-life stability to ensure long lasting effective bonding to porcelain.
Minimal Prep Veneers – Feldspathic veneers have been made popular by patients for their non-invasive preparation requirements, and their ability to allow the existing tooth shades to shine through.
This hand-crafted veneer is created with artistry by use of a brush and glass-based powder mixed with liquid. This material is highly translucent and mimics natural dentition when applied properly. To fabricate feldspathic veneers, the technician hand paints the veneer layer by layer so contour and texture can be controlled and crafted. Then the veneer is baked on a foil tray to solidify. The results are a highly esthetic restoration that is ideal for anterior restorations where shape, texture, and natural-beauty are priorities.
Porcelain Fused Metal Dental Crowns (PFM)
PFM combines the strength of a metal coping with hand layered porcelain. The metal base gives off a natural-like hue from within that is complimented when porcelain is applied.
A PFM crown has been known to leave the appearance of a dark line at the gums in some cases, and because of the core being comprised of metal, sometimes the quality of the metal is not up to standard. Thankfully you now have a choice of what type of PFM crown you would like to order. We can use standard metals, noble metals, or high noble metals which are precious alloys. It’s even possible now to combine the benefits of a metal structure with the digital technology of milling the base of the crown in a digital milling machine.
Types of PFM Dental Crowns
The White Hi-Noble PFM dental crowns have a lifespan of over 30 years if properly maintained with good oral hygiene practices.
The Yellow Hi-Noble PFM dental crowns are made with precious metal and have a lifespan of over 30 years.
The Semi-Precious PFM dental crowns are strong and durable and therefore have good marginal integrity.
The Non-Precious PFM dental crowns are strong, versatile, and durable and have a lifespan of over 60 years.
Full Cast Crowns & Bridges
Full Cast Crowns and Bridges have the potential to last a lifetime due to its durability. The restorations done on full cast crowns and bridges are often designed to fit perfectly, as the materials used offer great bio-compatibility, as well as are known to be extremely compatible with the human mouth (except in the case of alloy sensitivity).
Types of Full Cast Crowns & Bridge
The Semi-Precious full cast crown & bridge has characteristics that allows for long-term wear. With good oral hygiene, they can last for 30-40 years.
The Gold full cast crown & bridge is one of the most wear-friendly of dental materials of all time. It is extremely bio-compatible.