Crowns & Bridges Specialist
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Stephen Hiroshige, DDS
General Dentist & Cosmetic Dentist located in Gardena, CA
When your tooth is damaged, or if you’ve lost one or more teeth, crowns and bridges restore and protect your teeth so you can smile confidently again. Stephen Hiroshige, DDS, a second-generation general dentist in Gardena, California, expertly restores and protects your teeth with custom-designed dental crowns and bridges. Whether your tooth is missing, or it is damaged or decayed, Dr. Hiroshige and his expert staff give you the care you need to maintain your oral health. To set up an appointment, call the friendly dental team or use the online scheduling form.
Crowns & Bridges Q & A
What are crowns?
When you smile, you reveal the crowns (upper portions) of your teeth. Prosthetic dental crowns are custom-designed caps that look just like your own natural crowns, but cover your original teeth to repair damage on a single tooth or create stability for a dental bridge.
Why is a crown needed?
Dr. Hiroshige recommends dental crowns for restoration and stability. A dental crown might be the right option if you have a:
- Cracked tooth
- Chipped tooth
- Broken tooth
- Infected root canal
- Missing tooth
Dental crowns cover cracks, breaks, and chips while preserving your natural tooth to avoid extraction. If you need root canal treatment, Dr. Hiroshige protects and saves your treated tooth by filling it with a rubbery substance and then capping it with a crown. He also uses crowns to stabilize dental bridges.
What are bridges?
A bridge is one or more prosthetic teeth attached to a crown on either side. The crowns are fitted over abutment teeth, which are the teeth that surround the gap in your smile. Dr. Hiroshige cements the bridge between the abutment teeth to give it stability. The bridge fills in the gap in your smile left by missing teeth.
Why is a bridge necessary?
Your teeth rely on one another to maintain proper and healthy alignment. If one or more teeth go missing, the other teeth may drift toward the gap.
A dental bridge replaces your missing tooth or teeth without surgery. Because the bridge is stabilized by the abutment teeth, it won’t slip, as dentures can. Your dental bridge is a semi-permanent tooth-replacement option that remains in place and can last for many years.
What’s the process for getting a crown or bridge?
When you opt for a dental crown or bridge, Dr. Hiroshige must first prepare the tooth or abutment teeth by reshaping them. He then takes an impression of your teeth and sends it to a lab. While the lab creates the crown or bridge to his specifications, you wear a temporary replacement.
Once your permanent crown or bridge is ready, Dr. Hiroshige brings you in for a fitting. He may have you wear the crown or bridge for a week or two to be sure it fits perfectly before permanently cementing it into place.
To fix or replace a tooth with a crown or bridge, call Dr. Hiroshige’s friendly reception staff or use the online booking form.
