Dental Crowns and Bridges

Dental Crowns and Bridges in Boulder, CO

If you have a tooth that's cracked, worn down, or missing, a crown or bridge can restore strength, appearance, and everyday comfort. Dr. Ryan Koenig and the team at Table Mesa Dental design these restorations to feel like your own teeth. Because we mill many crowns and bridges right here in our south Boulder office, many patients walk out the same day with the real thing, no temporary and no waiting.

Have questions? Call us at (303) 590-3992.

Quick Takeaways

Same-day is often possible. With in-office 3D milling, many crowns and bridges are designed and placed in one visit.
Crowns rebuild a damaged tooth; bridges replace a missing one.
Comfort is built in. Local anesthesia, gentle technique, and sedation options mean most people feel little to nothing.
Ask about your bite and your timeline at your consultation: one visit or two, and how it should feel when you chew.
Next step: a consultation where we scan your teeth, review options, and go over cost and coverage before anything starts.

What's the Difference Between a Crown and a Bridge?

A crown is a cap that covers a single tooth. We use one when a tooth is cracked, badly worn, weakened by a large filling, or rebuilt after a root canal. The crown wraps over what's left and restores full shape and strength.

A bridge fills a gap where a tooth is gone. It's a row of connected crowns: the teeth on either side of the space (or dental implants) hold the bridge in place, and the artificial tooth in the middle sits where the missing one used to be. We craft both from high-quality porcelain and ceramic to blend with surrounding teeth.

How It Works

We start with a consultation and scan, looking at the tooth, talking through your goals, and taking precise digital scans, no goopy impression trays. From those scans we design a restoration shaped just for you.
Next, we prepare the tooth. For a crown, we gently reshape it so the cap fits snugly; for a bridge, we prepare the neighboring anchor teeth. You'll be comfortably numb for this part.
Then comes milling your restoration. Using in-office 3D printing and milling, we create your custom crown or bridge while you're here, a step that traditionally took a week or two at an outside lab.
We fit and adjust by setting the restoration in place, checking the feel, and fine-tuning your bite on the spot.
Finally, we bond it in. Once the fit is right, we permanently bond it and explain how to care for it.

If your case is more complex and same-day isn't ideal, we'll fit you with a comfortable temporary while your final restoration is finished, and tell you that up front.

Why Patients Choose Crowns and Bridges

You can eat normally again.
Your smile looks like you. A well-fitted restoration restores the natural shape and proportions of your tooth.
It protects what's left. A crown holds a fragile tooth together; a bridge keeps neighboring teeth from drifting.
Speech gets easier. Filling a gap helps you speak clearly.
It lasts. With good care, crowns and bridges commonly serve 10 to 15 years, often longer.
Less time in the chair when we can do it in a single visit.

Is a Crown or Bridge Right for You?

A crown makes sense when a tooth is too damaged for a simple filling but still has a healthy root worth saving. A bridge is a strong choice when you're missing one or a few teeth in a row and the surrounding teeth are healthy enough to anchor it.

These aren't the only paths. If a tooth is too far gone, an extraction with a different plan could serve you better. For a missing tooth, a dental implant is worth comparing, since it stands on its own without leaning on neighboring teeth. If you're missing many teeth, dentures may fit better. We'll lay out the honest options at your consultation.

Timeline and What to Expect

For a same-day crown or bridge, plan on roughly one and a half to two hours, covering the scan, prep, milling, and final fitting in one sitting.

If your treatment calls for the traditional two-visit approach, expect the first appointment for prep and scanning, then a second visit about one to two weeks later to place the finished restoration, with a temporary in between. We'll tell you which route fits your case before you commit.

Preparing and Caring for Your Restoration

There's not much to do beforehand. Eat normally, mention any anxiety so we can plan comfort options, and let us know about medications or health changes.

Afterward:

Brush twice a day and floss daily; for a bridge, we'll show you how to clean underneath it.
Go easy on very hard foods and don't use your teeth to open packaging.
If you grind your teeth at night, ask us about a nightguard.
Keep up with regular checkups so we can monitor the fit.

A little tenderness or sensitivity for a few days is normal. If your bite feels off, call us and we'll adjust it.

Cost and Payment

The cost depends on how many teeth are involved, the materials, and your insurance coverage. We're in network with most insurance plans, including Delta Dental, Carrington, and Connection Dental, and we'll review the full picture with you before treatment. We also offer a savings plan to make care more attainable. Read more on our finances and insurance page, or we can walk through the numbers in person.

Why Patients Trust Table Mesa Dental

Dr. Koenig, known to patients as "Dr. K," brings more than two decades of experience and over 1,000 hours of continuing education, with advanced training in implants, oral surgery, and full-mouth reconstruction. That depth matters with restorations, because the difference between a crown that feels fine and one you forget you have comes down to precision.

We design and mill many crowns and bridges in our own office, lead with empathy, and explain things in plain language. For our neighbors across south Boulder and the wider Boulder community, we want this to feel like the dental home you've been looking for.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do crowns and bridges last?

Most last 10 to 15 years, often longer with good brushing, flossing, and regular checkups. Avoiding very hard foods and protecting against grinding helps.

Does getting a crown or bridge hurt?

For the great majority of patients, no. We numb the area with local anesthesia, work gently, and offer sedation options if you're anxious. Most people feel pressure at most during the procedure and only mild tenderness afterward.

Can a crown or bridge really be done in one day?

Often, yes. Our in-office 3D milling lets us design and place many restorations the same visit. More complex cases may need two visits, and we'll tell you which applies up front.

How many crowns can I have?

There's no set limit. Some people need a single crown; others have several, or even a full-mouth restoration with bridges or implants. We'll recommend the right number based on your teeth and goals.

How do I take care of a bridge?

Treat it like your natural teeth, with one extra step: cleaning underneath the bridge where it spans the gap. We'll show you a simple way to do that so the supporting teeth and gums stay healthy.

Let's Bring Back Your Smile

If a damaged or missing tooth has been on your mind, we'd love to take a look and show you what's possible. Call Table Mesa Dental at (303) 590-3992 to set up your consultation.