Emax and Zirconia Crowns
EMAX AND ZIRCONIA CROWNS
Largo, Florida residents are very fortunate to have highly experienced restorative and cosmetic dentists in their neighborhood. Our dentists, Dr. Amy Vespa and Dr. Don Vespa, restore many teeth to strong function and natural appearance with two types of crowns—zirconia crowns and Emax dental crowns. Both of theses types have superior translucence and lifelike qualities, as well as extreme durability. In addition, we offer lower cost all-porcelain and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.
Because the entire tooth has to be prepared for a crown, our dentists prefer to do a more conservative tooth restoration whenever possible, for example, a tooth-colored resin filling, porcelain onlay, porcelain inlay, or porcelain veneer. You can trust them to be honest and forthright in providing guidance about the treatment options that will be best for your oral health, function, and beauty.
WHAT IS A DENTAL CROWN?
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and beauty. When a crown is cemented into place, it fully encases the visible part of the tooth that is above the gum line, providing biting strength, protection to protect the tooth, and natural appearance that matches your smile.
WHEN ARE CROWNS RECOMMENDED?
A dental crown is used to preserve and strengthen a tooth that is fractured, has had root canal therapy, or has been significantly weakened by dental caries or a large filling. Crowns are also used to attach a dental bridge to adjacent teeth. Crowns can be used for cosmetic reasons to improve the appearance of a tooth’s surface or to modify the form of a poorly shaped tooth. In some cases, a crown may be used to improve the force and balance of your bite to treat temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD—also commonly known as “TMJ”), or to restore a tooth to normal size and function after the top of the tooth has become excessively worn due to malocclusion, stress clenching, or nighttime grinding (bruxism).
WHAT MATERIALS ARE USED?
The best crown material is often determined by the forces of your bite and esthetic considerations. Crowns can be made of all porcelain, porcelain fused to gold, porcelain fused to zirconium, all zirconium, all gold, and state-of-the-art lithium disilicate ceramic. Emax crowns are made of a single block of lithium disilicate ceramic and are an optimal match to the look and strength of natural teeth. Dr. Amy Vespa and Dr. Don Vespa recommend Emax crowns and zirconia crowns, due to their longer lasting esthetics. The relative costs, durability, and esthetics of the various materials will be discussed with you prior to your acceptance of treatment.
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT PROCEDURE LIKE?
Zirconia, Emax, and porcelain crowns all can be shade matched to blend with your natural teeth. We recommend tooth whitening your teeth prior to shade matching so your crown is matched to your preferred color.
Treatment is done in two appointments. Your tooth and gums will be numbed, and then Dr. Amy Vespa or Dr. Don Vespa will prepare the tooth to make room for the crown. Once the tooth is prepared, and we will make impressions of your mouth. Our dentist will place a provisional (temporary) crown on your prepared tooth so you can function normally while waiting for your custom crown. When the custom crown arrives from the lab (usually within two to three weeks), you will return for your second appointment. At that time, Dr. Amy or Dr. Don will remove the provisional crown, permanently attach your custom crown, and check to make sure your bite (the way your teeth come together) is optimal for comfortable function and long-lasting results.
READY TO COME IN FOR AN APPOINTMENT?
DO YOU NEED A DENTAL CROWN, OR DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR ORAL HEALTH AND SMILE?
We have the answers! We welcome you to call our office for an appointment.
- Initial cosmetic smile makeover consultations are complimentary (free of charge) so if you are seeking cosmetic smile makeover guidance and to learn what is possible for you, indicate this when you call.
- If you are in dental pain, schedule a diagnostic appointment and tell us about the type and level of pain you are experiencing. We will schedule you appropriately. You may need immediate root canal therapy to eliminate infection and pain. If this is the case, an optimal porcelain crown will be made by our partnering dental lab and placed on your tooth after the root canal procedure.
- If you have broken your tooth or there is other extensive damage, your tooth may be too compromised to hold a crown. In this case, removal of the tooth and replacement with an implant supported crown or a traditional bridge will be discussed with you.
Our Services
Pediatric Dentistry
Our dentists enjoy children, teens and adults. Some of our patients are only three years old. We care about the health of all of your family members, and we will give you our total best care from preventive cleanings and fluoride treatments to checkups to treatment for dental disease to tooth alignment and cosmetic procedures.
Emax and Zirconia Crowns
Largo, Florida residents are very fortunate to have highly experienced restorative and cosmetic dentists in their neighborhood. Our dentists, Dr. Amy Vespa and Dr. Don Vespa, restore many teeth to strong function and natural appearance with two types of crowns—zirconia crowns and Emax dental crowns. Both of theses types have superior translucence and lifelike qualities, as well as extreme durability.
Teeth Whitening
Dentists Don Vespa and Amy Vespa of Pinellas Family Dental in Largo, FL are proud to offer both Philips Zoom in-office and take-home whitening. “A white, bright smile is the number one cosmetic change desired by Florida residents,” report Dr. Don and Amy Vespa. “Wine, coffee, tea, and smoking cause surface teeth staining. So do a number of other beverages and foods, and with time, these stains seep into the dentin, resulting in an overall darker (often yellowish) appearance.
Occlusal Therapy
Temporo-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome (TMD) is a common condition referred to frequently as “TMJ”. TMD is characterized by severe headaches, jaw pain of varying degrees, grinding teeth, and an intermittent ringing in the ears. TMD sufferers report that their symptoms generally worsen during periods of stress. Your occlusion is the way your teeth come together. The most common cause of TMD is the misalignment of the teeth, often called “a bad bite.”
Cosmetic & Restorative Treatment
At Pinellas Family Dental, we provide the full range of restorative and cosmetic procedures. Our goal is to provide you with the finest quality restorations that will meet your satisfaction for many years to come, in both their function and appearance.
Dental Implants
Doctors Don and Amy Vespa place dental implants (artificial tooth roots) and restore missing teeth with custom prostheses (crowns, bridges and dentures). They use CAMLOG® dental implants made of pure titanium. This material is extremely stable and has a high level of biocompatibility. High precision and reliability are the hallmarks of all CAMLOG implants and components, providing predictable functional, esthetic and long-term stable results.
Veneers
Many patients are good candidates for dental veneers. Our experts at Pinellas Family Dental—Dentists Don and Amy Vespa—ensure optimal, long-lasting results. Dental veneers are wafer-thin shells of porcelain, that when bonded to teeth, not only improve the appearance of your smile, but also strengthen the teeth. They are one of the most conservative and affordable smile makeover treatments.
Sleep Apnea
If you or your partner snores, this could be a source of conflict between the two of you. It’s not as if you can control snoring, but the lack of sleep is making you both irritable. Not only are you tired and cranky, your relationship is starting to suffer. Before you call a counselor, you may want to call your dentist. Loud, chronic snoring can be an indication of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
New Patient Exam
We care about each new patient who comes to us as a special person. When you come to us for the first time, we will spend time talking about your concerns, preferences and oral health objectives. We will review your dental and medical history before performing a thorough oral examination.
Invisalign
Dr. Don Vespa is a Certified Largo Invisalign dentist who offers Invisalign treatment to not only teens but also adults of all ages. After an initial no-charge consultation to determine your orthodontic needs, Dr. Vespa can develop an optimal treatment plan that is best for you, answer your questions, provide a fee quotation, and offer an immediate start to the Invisalign process if you would like to go forward on the path to a new, more beautiful smile.
Mouth Restoration
If you have multiple oral health problems to be solved, you owe it to yourself to learn what can be done to give you back a healthy, youthful smile that allows you to live a fully functional life and smile with confidence.
