Veneers and Crowns

We love to keep our patients biting right and looking great. Columbus Park Dental is here to restore strength and function to your teeth while helping you maintain a bright, beautiful smile. We proudly offer dental crowns and veneers in NYC to patients in our Upper West Side office.

Porcelain Veneers

Crowns and veneers are porcelain pieces that restore teeth. Both are cemented to your existing teeth, which we must prep first; and both are custom-made to fit your mouth. Patients may get veneers and crowns for cosmetic reasons, functional (restorative) reasons, or both. Each one, however, has different indications and benefits. 

What Are Porcelain Veneers?

Veneers are thin porcelain pieces that are placed onto your existing natural teeth to strengthen them or improve their appearance. If you’ve ever seen a “perfect” smile and wondered how it got that way, there’s a very good chance they may have veneers!

non-metal crowns in NYC

Why Get Veneers?

Veneers are most often for front teeth, and while there are sometimes functional benefits, their purpose is usually to improve the aesthetics of the smile. Cosmetic reasons for getting veneers may include:

  • Discoloration
  • Misshapen or uneven teeth
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Minor misalignment 

Restorative, functional, or protective reasons may include: 

  • Enamel erosion
  • Cracked or chipped teeth 
  • Generalized wear 

How Veneers Are Done

When you come to Columbus Park Dental for porcelain veneers, we’ll start with an in-depth conversation to understand your goals and needs. After that, here’s an overview of what to expect:

  • We’ll do an in-depth consultation, in which we’ll look at a mock-up together and design your new smile.
  • On your next visit, we’ll numb the area(s) where we’ll be working and then prep your teeth by removing a small amount of enamel, if necessary.
  • We take high-resolution scans of the prepped tooth surfaces for the lab to use in making your permanent veneers.
  • Next, we’ll place temporary veneers, which you’ll wear until the permanent ones come back from the lab. 
  • On your final visit, we’ll start by removing the temporary veneers. 
  • Finally, we’ll place your permanent veneers, and you’ll go home with a gorgeous new smile!

Are Porcelain Veneers Permanent?

Yes, porcelain veneers are permanent! Like fillings, they do periodically need to be replaced but can’t be undone. The typical lifespan of a single veneer is about 10 years. If you’re looking for a reversible option, we do offer composite veneers. The major drawback to composite veneers, however, is that they have to be replaced at least twice as often as porcelain ones.

Crowns

Crowns are similar to veneers in that they’re porcelain restorations attached to your teeth, but a dental crown replaces the entire top portion of the tooth instead of just the front surface. Like veneers, crowns may be restorative, cosmetic or both. Before we dig into that, however, a bit about how dental crowns work.

What is a Dental Crown?

A dental crown is a restoration that replaces the natural crown of the tooth. There are a variety of materials that dental crowns can be made of, including gold, zirconia, porcelain, and resin. At Columbus Park, we want your strong teeth to look beautiful and natural, so we proudly offer zirconium and E-MAX crowns. The benefits of these non-metal dental crowns include:

  • Non-metal dental crowns are very lifelike. They look like your natural teeth.
  • They offer less temperature sensitivity than metal crowns.
  • The materials we use are non-reactive, so they’re ideal for patients with metal sensitivities. 
  • While metal is the most durable crown material, our crowns are stronger than your natural tooth enamel and last up to 15 years.
  • Less tooth structure will need to be removed for a non-metal dental crown.

When is a Dental Crown Needed?

Dental crowns stand in for natural teeth under all sorts of circumstances. As with veneers, crowns can be placed for cosmetic or functional reasons (or both). Reasons for getting a dental crown may include:

  • A tooth is cracked, broken, or damaged
  • Decay in the natural tooth is too extensive to fix with a filling
  • A tooth is missing entirely (in this case, an implant would be placed to support the crown)
  • A veneer isn’t possible due to previous dental work or decay

 What is the Dental Crown Procedure?

The procedure for a crown is very similar to that for veneers. Once we’ve discussed treatment options, and you’ve decided upon a crown, you’ll make appointments for the two-part procedure.

  • At your first appointment, we’ll start by taking detailed scans of your mouth and numbing the tooth with local anesthesia. 
  • The dentist or an assistant will choose a shade of white for your crown that best matches your natural teeth.
  • Next, the dentist will prep the tooth. This means removing tooth structure down to the center portion, or core, of the natural tooth’s crown.
  • We’ll take a scan of the prepped tooth so the lab can make a perfect fit.
  • Dr. Singh will place a temporary crown, and you’ll go on your way! 
  • Once the lab has made your permanent crown, you’ll come back for the second appointment where we’ll remove the temporary crown. 
  • Dr. Singh will clean the tooth thoroughly and cement the permanent crown in place. Now you’ve got your beautiful new tooth!

Are Dental Crowns Permanent?

Yes they are! Like all dental restorations, you may need a replacement someday, but the procedure is indeed permanent. And what a great permanent restoration it is–this best-of-both-worlds option allows you to keep the root and core of your own tooth, which is ideal. Meanwhile, you get a strong replacement for the damaged functional or front-facing part of the tooth!

Crowns and Veneers in NYC

Reach out to us at Columbus Park Dental today to learn more about porcelain veneers and non-metal crowns in NYC. We look forward to chatting with you about your best option and helping you have a smile you love!

Columbus Park Dental is a modern, female-founded dental practice located in the heart of NYC's historic Upper West Side.

Beautiful Smiles Begin With Us

Location
40 W 72ND STREET
NY, NY 10023
Hours
  • Mon:    10:00 - 6:00
  • Tues:    8:00 - 5:00
  • Wed:    10:00 - 4:00
  • Thurs:  9:00 - 5:00
  • Fri:        9:00 - 3:00
  • Sat:       10:00 - 2:00