Restorative Dentistry

Porcelain Crowns and Bridges in Vista, CA

Crowns that save a damaged tooth, and bridges that replace a missing one with teeth that stay in.
Save It or Replace It

A Crown Saves a Damaged Tooth; a Bridge Fills the Gap

A crown, sometimes called a cap, covers the whole visible part of a tooth to bring back its shape, size and strength. Even after significant damage or decay, a crown can often save the tooth and keep most of it in place.

A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth in a row. The replacement teeth are anchored to the natural teeth or implants on either side, and the bridge stays in.

Dr. Coleman, wearing magnifying loupes, examining a patient
A tooth-shade guide held beside a smile
Where Patients Start

When Patients Come In About a Crown or Bridge

Your consultation is where we find out whether a crown, a bridge or another option fits.
Porcelain Crowns

Porcelain Crowns Restore a Tooth's Shape and Strength

A crown can protect a weak or cracked tooth, rebuild one that’s worn, misshapen or badly decayed, cover a tooth with a large filling, anchor a bridge, or top a dental implant as its final step.
Between a filling and a crown

Inlays and Onlays Repair What a Filling Can't, Without a Full Crown

When a cavity or crack is too big for a filling, but a crown would remove more healthy tooth than you need to lose, an inlay or onlay can restore it. Each one is made to fit your tooth, then bonded in place. An inlay fits inside the tooth’s chewing surface; an onlay also covers one or more of its points.

A three-tooth porcelain bridge

Fixed Tooth Replacement

A Bridge Replaces Missing Teeth With Teeth That Stay In

Crowns go on the anchor teeth on either side of the gap, and the replacement tooth sits between them. Bridges can also be anchored on implants. Unlike a partial denture, a bridge is fixed and doesn’t come out.

Replacing a missing tooth helps you chew and speak normally, and keeps the teeth around the gap from drifting into it.

What to Expect

Your Crown or Bridge is Made Between Appointments

1

Preparing and Fitting a Crown

A crown usually takes two appointments. We numb and reshape the tooth to make room, then take 3D images or a digital scan and an impression. A dental lab makes the crown to match your other teeth, and you wear a temporary crown while it’s made. At the next appointment, the permanent crown is fitted and bonded or cemented in place.
2

Preparing and Placing a Bridge

For a bridge, we numb the area, prepare the anchor teeth and take impressions or a scan. You wear a temporary bridge while the permanent one is made, then come back for the final placement. The process typically takes a few weeks, and mild discomfort afterward is possible.

Real Patients, Real Results

See Crown and Bridge Results, Before and After

Each case is labeled by treatment, and patient names are never shown.
Before: smile with a broken front tooth showing a metal postAfter: the same smile with even, tooth-colored front teeth
In Their Own Words

Trusted by Patients in Vista

See what our patients are saying about their experience, and explore more reviews on Google.
Payment Options

Your Crown or Bridge Estimate Comes With Your Treatment Plan

You’ll get a cost estimate with your treatment plan at your consultation. We accept most major insurance plans and will go through your coverage with you. If you don’t have insurance, the Coleman Loyalty Plan covers preventive care and discounts other treatment, and financing is available to qualified patients.
Other Ways to Restore Teeth

Other Treatments Patients Ask About

Dental Implants

A permanent replacement for a missing tooth that doesn't rely on the teeth beside it.

Dentures and Partials

Removable replacement teeth, full or partial, traditional or implant-supported.

Full Mouth Rehabilitation

When many teeth need work at once, one plan instead of one tooth at a time.

Before You Decide

Frequently Asked Questions About Crowns and Bridges

Are all dental crowns made of porcelain?
No. Crown materials are chosen case by case. Options include all-ceramic, porcelain fused to metal and gold.
The area is numbed before the tooth is prepared, and sedation is available if dental visits make you anxious. Some mild discomfort afterward is possible.
Brush and floss as usual, including under a bridge, avoid chewing hard things, and keep your regular checkups.
Yes. A crown is the final step of a single-tooth implant, and a bridge can be anchored on implants too.
In Person or From Home

Schedule a Crown or Bridge Consultation in Vista

Our Vista office is a short drive from Oceanside, San Marcos, Carlsbad and Escondido. If you’d rather start from home, send a few photos of your smile and Dr. Coleman will record a video walking you through your options. For new patients, the exam and X-rays come with no out-of-pocket cost.