Telopea Park Dental

A Great Dentist

Book an Appointment

(02) 6106 9333

General and Aesthetic Dentistry

Brindabella Specialist Centre, Level 1
Suite 12, 5 Dann Close, Garran, ACT 2605

Telopea Park Dental > Services > Dental Crowns and Bridges

For patients seeking options to address missing or damaged teeth, Telopea Park Dental has some great choices for you.

Are You Suffering from Tooth Problems?

Book an Appointment

Dental Crowns & Bridges in Garran

diagram of dental crown in garran At Telopea Park Dental, we hope to catch any dental issue before it grows into an acute problem. But for numerous reasons, one of your teeth may have suffered damage that now requires Dr Eric Kropinak to recommend a dental crown or bridge. A dental crown is a ceramic reproduction that restores a diminished tooth after root canal therapy, tops a dental implant or becomes part of a dental bridge.

Dental professionals have used crowns for years because of their fit, durability and natural appearance. Traditionally, patients had only one choice for dental crowns; wait for their dentist to send a design to an outside lab that builds the crown through a highly technical process that may take a week or longer. Depending on your situation, we can go the conventional route, or we may recommend a CEREC same-day crown created at our practice while you wait.

What Is CEREC? Crowns in One Visit

The CEREC (Chair-Side Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) process produces porcelain crowns and other restorations at our clinic during your appointment instead of making you wait until a follow-up visit. Our team takes advantage of this process to better fit into a patient’s treatment plan.

Several aspects of the CEREC process makes it a good option for dental restorations.

Precision – our digital impression procedure offers a 3-D impression of your tooth with incredible accuracy
Durability – the porcelain materials which we use are designed to provide a lengthy lifespan
Visual Appeal – between the hyper-accurate scans and high-quality materials, your restoration will match your old tooth brilliantly
Convenience – by completing your restoration in one sitting, we save you time and money

Whenever we use our CEREC process, the results are an excellent looking, feeling and functioning restoration that fits your needs and budget.

We Also Use Conventional Dental Crowns

woman getting dental bridge in garran In some cases, Dr Kropinak may decide that a lab-made dental restoration is a better choice. Many reasons may exist for this choice, but patients may rest assured that we work with only the finest dental labs in the Canberra area at Telopea Park Dental. This helps ensure that your crown will be as bright and attractive as solid and enduring.

Our team wants to emphasise that a patient’s will and priorities will influence whether we use the CEREC process or a lab-created dental crown. Therefore, we encourage you to ask questions to help you decide which type of restoration will be your ideal. Respecting your choices is part of our overall dental philosophy.

Crowns as Related to Dental Bridges, Known as Fixed Partial Bridges

While a stand-along dental crown is an ideal finishing touch to root canal or other therapies, you may be in one case where multiple damaged teeth require attention. In this situation, one option for patients is a dental bridge, also known as a fixed partial denture.

This appliance consists of a light frame that attaches to either healthy adjacent teeth or an implant abutment and holds more dental crowns that fill the gap. We recommend this type of restoration to create a firm surface for biting and chewing. Your dental bridge also resembles natural teeth so that your repair will go unnoticed by the people around you.

A Call to Telopea Park Dental Promotes Learning about Dental Crowns and Bridges

If you are struggling with damaged or missing teeth in Garran, let our team inform you and help you decide which path is best for your needs. We are proud to offer both same-day CEREC restorations alongside conventional restorations to maximise your ability to achieve your dream smile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it hurt to get a crown?

For many patients, getting a crown is no more painful than getting a cavity filled thanks to the use of local anesthetic and modern impression techniques. Most people report feeling comfortable throughout their procedure, feeling a little pressure and movement at times, but not pain.

My crown is old and broken. What should I do?

A broken dental crown can be worrisome, but it’s no cause for panic. There are several options to solve the problem including:

Bonding composite resin to the broken crown
Recementing the crown (if the crown and tooth is still intact)
Replacing the broken crown with a new crown
Extracting the tooth and replacing it with a dental implant.

Ultimately, you’ll need to see a dentist to fix a broken crown.

Why are crowns more expensive than fillings?

As general rule crowns cost 4-5 times as much as fillings because they require considerable more chair time and material expense to the dentist. Crowns also give patients a stronger, longer lasting, more permanent and more aesthetic restoration.

Fillings:

Fillings are done when there is a small chip or hole in a tooth - lots of solid tooth structure remaining after caries removal.
Fillings are done in one visit, usually taking 15 to 30 minutes of chair time after diagnosis.

Crowns:

A crown is indicated when the carious destruction in the tooth is larger than ~50% or when a large portion of the tooth has fractured off and there is not enough support for a filling.
Most crowns require two visits. One for the preparation, impression, and fabrication of a temporary crown (while the permanent crown is made at the local laboratory). The second appointment is needed to remove the temporary crown, fit, adjust, and cement the permanent crown.
The first appointment (crown prep) is about 90 minutes long, the second appointment (crown insert) about 45 minutes long.
Also, if the tooth is heavily destroyed, an additional filling under the crown (core build-up) is needed.

What is a dental crown?

Dental crowns are custom made tooth shaped 'caps' placed on top of damaged teeth. Crowns are used to protect, cover and restore the shape of your teeth when fillings do not solve the problem. Dental crowns can be made out of metals, porcelain, resin and ceramics.

Do I need a crown after root canal?

After a root canal treatment, the structural integrity of your tooth has been weakened and the remaining tooth structure prone to fracture. This is why your dentist might recommend a dental crown for protection of your root filled tooth, especially for your back teeth (molar, premolar) as they are used continuously when eating throughout the day.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. Eric Kropinak stands in front of a desk, Garran ACT

Dr Eric Kropinak BSc., BDent. (USyd)
Dentist - Sydney Trained, Canberra Perfected!

Dr. Eric Kropinak BSc., BDent. (USyd) gained his Bachelor of Science degree in 2003. Four years later, he earned his Bachelor of Dentistry from the University of Sydney. He has practised in Canberra for over 18 years, honing his skills and expertise though numerous hours of continuing professional development per year. Dr Kropinak is focused on professional and essential dentistry for patients of all ages.

He has numerous memberships and affiliations worth noting, including:

Australian Academy of Dento-Facial Aesthetics (AADFA)
Australian Dental Association (ADA)
Australian Society of Endodontics (ASE)
Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (RACDS)

A ...

Dental Crowns and Bridges Smile Gallery

See the Smile Gallery

Featured Blog Posts - Dental Crowns and Bridges

July 15, 2022

Should I Get a Dental Crown or a Dental Bridge?

Dental crowns and bridges are effective restorations your dentist can custom-design for your unique oral health needs and smile. However, these two restorations have different purposes.

What Are Dental Crowns and Bridges?

Dental crowns and bridges are fixed prosthetic restorations. The dentist cements them onto existing teeth or dental implants, and if you need a replacement or repair, only the dentist can do this.

A dental crown covers a damaged, decayed or weak tooth to protect it and give it extra strength. We may also place a dental crown to improve alignment or ...