At Centergate Family Dentistry, Dr. Ibarria combines advanced techniques with personalized care to create restorative dental solutions that look natural and feel comfortable. With over 30 years of serving the community and Dr. Ibarria’s extensive training including more than 1,000 hours of continuing education, we deliver restorative solutions you can trust.
A dental crown is a custom-made cap that covers the entire visible portion of a damaged tooth. Think of it as a protective helmet that strengthens a weakened tooth while restoring its original shape and size. Crowns become necessary when a tooth has extensive decay, a large filling that compromises its structure, or has suffered trauma from an accident or injury.
The crown placement process typically requires two visits to our Sarasota office. During your first appointment, Dr. Ibarria carefully prepares the tooth by removing any decay and reshaping it to accommodate the crown. We then take precise impressions of your teeth, which our dental laboratory uses to craft your custom crown. A temporary crown protects your tooth while the permanent restoration is being made.
Several situations may indicate that a crown is the best treatment option for your tooth. A tooth with a large cavity that cannot support a regular filling often benefits from crown protection. Root canal treatment weakens tooth structure, making crowns essential for long-term success. Cracked or fractured teeth gain strength and stability from crown coverage.
Additionally, severely worn teeth from grinding or clenching regain their proper height and function with crowns. Cosmetic concerns like severe discoloration or misshapen teeth can also be addressed with crown placement.
Dental bridges literally bridge the gap left by one or more missing teeth. A traditional bridge consists of crowns placed on the teeth adjacent to the gap, with artificial teeth suspended between them. This creates a continuous row of teeth that restores your ability to chew properly and speak clearly.
Missing teeth create more problems than just an incomplete smile. Adjacent teeth may shift into the empty space, causing bite problems and making cleaning more difficult. The opposing tooth may also over-erupt, leading to additional complications. Bridges prevent these issues while restoring full mouth function.
Modern bridge materials offer excellent durability and natural appearance. Porcelain and ceramic options blend seamlessly with your existing teeth, while metal-ceramic combinations provide exceptional strength for back teeth that endure heavy chewing forces.
Comprehensive dental care for patients of all ages, delivered with warmth and expertise.
When a tooth has moderate damage that’s too extensive for a filling but not severe enough for a crown, inlays and onlays offer the perfect middle ground. These conservative restorations preserve more of your natural tooth structure while providing lasting protection and strength.
An inlay fits within the grooves of your tooth, similar to a large filling but crafted in a laboratory for superior fit and durability. An onlay extends over one or more tooth cusps, covering a larger portion of the chewing surface. Both options require less tooth reduction than crowns while providing excellent protection against further decay and damage.
Creating inlays and onlays follows a similar process to crowns, typically requiring two appointments. During the first visit, Dr. Ibarria removes any decay and shapes the tooth to receive the restoration. We take detailed impressions that capture the precise contours of your prepared tooth and surrounding areas.
While your custom inlay or onlay is being crafted at our trusted dental laboratory, a temporary restoration protects your tooth. At your second appointment, Dr. Ibarria carefully fits and bonds the permanent restoration in place, ensuring proper bite alignment and comfortable function.
The precision fit of laboratory-crafted inlays and onlays creates tight margins that resist bacterial infiltration, helping prevent future decay around the restoration edges. This makes them an excellent long-term solution for preserving your oral health.
Today’s crown and bridge materials offer superior aesthetics and durability compared to older options. All-ceramic and porcelain crowns provide the most natural appearance, making them ideal for front teeth. These materials reflect light similarly to natural tooth enamel, creating seamless integration with your smile.
For back teeth that handle significant chewing pressure, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns combine strength with good aesthetics. Gold and metal alloys remain excellent choices for durability, particularly for patients who grind their teeth or have limited space for crown placement.
Inlays and onlays can be crafted from porcelain, composite resin, or gold. Porcelain versions offer the best aesthetic results, while gold provides unmatched durability. Your choice depends on the tooth’s location, your aesthetic preferences, and functional requirements.
With proper care, crowns and bridges can last 10 to 15 years or longer. Regular dental checkups, good oral hygiene, and avoiding habits like chewing ice or using teeth as tools help maximize their lifespan. Dr. Ibarria provides specific care instructions to help you protect your investment in your oral health.
Maintaining crowns and bridges requires the same commitment to oral hygiene as natural teeth. Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and flossing regularly prevents decay around crown margins and bridge abutments. Special floss threaders or water flossers help clean under bridge pontics where food particles commonly accumulate.
Regular professional cleanings and examinations allow Dr. Ibarria to monitor your restorations and address any concerns early. We also recommend avoiding hard foods that could damage your restorations, such as ice, hard candy, or popcorn kernels. Preventive care plays a crucial role in extending the life of your restorative work.
Crowns, bridges, inlays, and onlays offer reliable solutions for damaged or missing teeth, combining functionality with natural-looking results. Dr. Ibarria’s commitment to quality craftsmanship and patient comfort ensures you receive restorations that enhance both your oral health and confidence. With our practice’s three decades of community service and Dr. Ibarria’s extensive continuing education background, you can trust your smile to experienced hands.
Don’t let damaged or missing teeth compromise your quality of life. Contact Centergate Family Dentistry at (941) 379-7777 or schedule your consultation online to discover how crowns and bridges can restore your smile’s strength and beauty.
Dental crown costs at Centergate Family Dentistry typically range from $800 to $2,000 per tooth depending on the material selected and complexity of your case. The cost varies based on crown material: porcelain or ceramic crowns ($1,000-$2,000) offer the most natural appearance and are ideal for front teeth, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns ($800-$1,500) provide strength for back teeth with good aesthetics, gold or metal alloy crowns ($900-$1,600) are extremely durable for molars, and zirconia crowns ($1,200-$2,000) combine exceptional strength with excellent appearance. Additional factors affecting your investment include tooth location (front teeth requiring superior aesthetics may cost more), whether you need a buildup or post to support the crown on extensively damaged teeth, laboratory fees for custom fabrication, and whether the crown is part of a bridge or implant restoration. Most dental insurance plans cover 50-80% of crown costs when medically necessary, typically providing $400-$1,200 toward the procedure depending on your annual maximum benefit. Insurance coverage is generally approved for crowns needed due to large cavities or fractures, failed large fillings, after root canal treatment, severe wear or cracking, and broken or damaged teeth. However, purely cosmetic crowns for appearance improvement may not be covered. At Centergate Family Dentistry, we believe in transparency and conservative treatment—Dr. Ibarria will never recommend a crown if a less expensive filling or other treatment can adequately restore your tooth. We work with your finances by providing detailed cost estimates before treatment, helping you maximize insurance benefits and filing claims on your behalf, offering flexible payment plans for out-of-pocket costs, and coordinating treatment timing if annual maximum benefits are a concern. Our bilingual team explains all costs clearly in English or Spanish. The investment in a quality crown protects your tooth and can last 10-15+ years with proper care, making it cost-effective long-term. Call (941) 379-7777 for a consultation where we’ll evaluate your tooth and provide an accurate cost estimate for your specific needs.
Dental crowns placed at Centergate Family Dentistry typically last 10-15 years on average, with many lasting 20-30 years or even longer when properly maintained and cared for. Crown longevity depends on several key factors: material type plays a significant role, with gold crowns often lasting 20-30+ years due to exceptional durability, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns averaging 10-15 years with proper care, all-ceramic/porcelain crowns lasting 10-15 years (front teeth) to 5-10 years (back teeth under heavy chewing forces), and zirconia crowns representing newer technology with excellent durability approaching gold crowns. Location and use matter because back molars endure greater chewing forces and may wear faster than front teeth, teeth used for habits like ice chewing or nail biting experience accelerated wear, and teeth subject to grinding or clenching (bruxism) face increased stress. Your oral hygiene and maintenance significantly impact lifespan through daily brushing and flossing preventing decay at crown margins, regular professional cleanings every 6 months removing plaque and tartar, and avoiding hard foods and objects that could crack or chip crowns. The tooth underneath the crown must remain healthy because decay can develop at the crown margins if hygiene is poor, root canal treated teeth are more brittle and may fracture, and gum disease can affect the supporting bone and tooth. Signs your crown may need replacement include visible wear, cracks, or chips in the crown material, sensitivity or pain from the tooth, looseness or movement of the crown, decay visible at crown edges, or gum recession exposing the crown margin. At Centergate Family Dentistry, Dr. Ibarria uses high-quality materials and precise fabrication techniques to maximize crown longevity. We examine your crowns at every 6-month checkup, catching potential problems early before they require replacement. Our conservative approach means we only recommend crown replacement when truly necessary. Interestingly, when crowns do eventually need replacement after 15-20 years, it’s often a positive sign—you’ve outlived your dental work through good care! We work with skilled laboratories to create durable, natural-looking crowns built to last. With proper care, your Centergate Family Dentistry crown should serve you well for many years. Call (941) 379-7777 if you have concerns about an existing crown or need a new crown placed.
Dental crowns and bridges serve different purposes though both restore damaged or missing teeth—understanding the distinction helps you make informed decisions about your dental care at Centergate Family Dentistry. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers a single damaged tooth completely, restoring its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Crowns are used when a tooth is cracked or fractured, has a large filling that’s failing, needs protection after root canal treatment, is severely worn down, or requires improved appearance for cosmetic reasons. The crown fits over your existing natural tooth after it’s prepared (shaped down), with only one tooth involved in the restoration. A dental bridge is a fixed restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth by using adjacent teeth as anchors. Traditional bridges use crowns on the teeth on either side of the gap (abutment teeth) to support a false tooth or teeth (pontics) that fill the space, involving at least three teeth in the restoration—two anchor teeth plus the replacement(s). Bridges are used when you’re missing one or more consecutive teeth, have healthy teeth on both sides of the gap strong enough to support the bridge, and want a fixed (non-removable) tooth replacement option. Key differences include a crown restores one damaged tooth using that same tooth as foundation, while a bridge replaces missing teeth by using adjacent healthy teeth as support. Crowns preserve and strengthen the existing tooth, whereas bridges require reducing healthy adjacent teeth (removing enamel to create space for crowns) which is irreversible. Single crowns cost $800-$2,000, while bridges cost $2,000-$5,000 or more depending on the number of teeth involved. Crowns last 10-15+ years, while bridges typically last 10-15 years but put additional stress on abutment teeth. An important consideration is that dental implants often provide a more conservative alternative to bridges because they replace missing teeth without reducing adjacent healthy teeth. At Centergate Family Dentistry, Dr. Ibarria’s conservative philosophy means he’ll explain all options—crowns, bridges, or implants—and recommend what’s truly best for your long-term oral health, not what generates the most revenue. We take time with our patients to ensure you understand your choices. Call (941) 379-7777 for a consultation to discuss whether a crown, bridge, or implant is right for your situation.
Getting a dental crown at Centergate Family Dentistry involves minimal discomfort during the procedure and typically only mild sensitivity during recovery thanks to Dr. Ibarria’s gentle technique and effective anesthesia. During crown preparation, you’ll feel no pain because local anesthesia completely numbs your tooth and surrounding gum tissue. You may feel vibration from the handpiece and water spray, but no pain during tooth shaping. The process of taking impressions or digital scans is completely painless. For temporary crown placement, there’s no discomfort—the temporary simply fits over your prepared tooth with temporary cement. After the anesthesia wears off (2-4 hours later), expect mild sensitivity at the gum line where tissue was slightly disturbed during tooth preparation, possible temperature sensitivity (hot and cold) that should be minimal with the temporary crown in place, and slight soreness from holding your mouth open (this resolves within hours). Most patients need no pain medication, though ibuprofen or acetaminophen can address any discomfort. During the 1-2 weeks wearing your temporary crown, avoid chewing sticky foods on that side (caramels, gum, taffy can pull the temporary off), be gentle when flossing around the temporary, chew primarily on the opposite side with firm foods, and call immediately if the temporary comes off (we can re-cement it quickly). When your permanent crown is placed, the process is virtually painless because we simply remove the temporary and cement the final crown—no additional tooth preparation needed. After permanent crown placement, you may experience slight sensitivity to temperature or pressure for a few days while your tooth adjusts to the new restoration, but this typically resolves within 1-2 weeks. If sensitivity persists beyond 2 weeks or you experience pain when biting, contact us as the crown’s bite may need minor adjustment. At Centergate Family Dentistry, Dr. Ibarria’s 1,000+ hours of continuing education include advanced techniques for minimizing patient discomfort. We take breaks during longer procedures, use effective anesthesia, and prioritize your comfort. Our patients consistently report that crown procedures are easier and less uncomfortable than they expected. Call (941) 379-7777 to schedule your crown consultation.
The traditional crown process at Centergate Family Dentistry typically requires two appointments spaced 1-2 weeks apart, though same-day crown options may be available depending on your case. Appointment 1 (crown preparation, 60-90 minutes) includes comprehensive examination and discussion of your crown need, administering local anesthesia for comfort, removing decay and shaping the tooth to accommodate the crown, taking impressions or digital scans of the prepared tooth, selecting the shade to match your natural teeth, and placing a temporary crown to protect the tooth while your permanent crown is fabricated at our dental laboratory. Between appointments (1-2 weeks), our skilled laboratory technician crafts your custom crown matching the exact specifications and color we provided. Appointment 2 (crown placement, 30-60 minutes) involves removing the temporary crown, checking the fit, appearance, and bite of your permanent crown, making any necessary adjustments, and permanently cementing the crown once you’re completely satisfied. Some factors may extend the timeline including complex cases requiring additional planning, need for root canal treatment before crown placement (adds 1-2 weeks), or gum treatment necessary before crown preparation. Benefits of the two-appointment approach include superior fit and aesthetics from custom laboratory fabrication, opportunity to preview and approve the crown before permanent cementation, and time to ensure you’re completely comfortable with the temporary before committing to the final restoration. At Centergate Family Dentistry, Dr. Ibarria takes time to ensure your crown is perfect—we never rush the process or pressure you to accept work that doesn’t meet our high standards. While the two-visit timeline requires patience, the result is a crown that fits precisely, matches your natural teeth beautifully, and can last 15+ years. Our 30+ years serving the Sarasota community reflect our commitment to quality over speed. We work with your schedule to accommodate both appointments conveniently. Dr. Ibarria’s bilingual capabilities ensure Spanish-speaking patients fully understand each step of the process. Call (941) 379-7777 to schedule your crown consultation and learn your personalized timeline.
A Dentist You Can Trust
Dr. Rodolfo Ibarria
Leading Dentist
CENTERGATE FAMILY DENTISTRY
Address
Give us a call
Fax
941-378-4616
Opening Hours
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday - Sunday: Closed
Schedule a Visit
It’s Easy
From your first consultation to your ongoing care, we’re committed to providing you with exceptional dental services in a welcoming environment.
