For nervous, lapsed, or simply busy patients in Downers Grove and Lemont: calm, judgment-free care, with sedation available if you want it. A broken, cracked, heavily filled, or missing tooth can be rebuilt with a dental crown or replaced with a dental bridge, at your pace, with no lectures and no rush.
Two local offices
A dental crown is a custom cap that fits over one damaged tooth to restore its shape and strength. A dental bridge is a row of joined crowns anchored to the teeth on each side of a gap, and it replaces one or more missing teeth. A crown repairs a tooth you still have, and a bridge fills the space left by a tooth you have lost. Both are fixed in place, so they stay put when you eat and speak.
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap cemented over the whole visible tooth, and it protects a tooth too damaged for a filling while restoring normal biting. Unlike a filling, which repairs only part of a tooth, a crown covers the entire visible tooth above the gumline.
A tooth that has cracked or broken.
A big old filling that is failing.
To protect the treated tooth.
A molar worn down over the years.
A dental bridge is one or more replacement teeth held by crowns on the natural teeth on each side of the gap, and it fills the space so you can chew and speak normally while keeping nearby teeth from drifting. The replacement tooth is called a pontic, and the teeth it attaches to are the abutment teeth.
Crowns on the teeth either side of the gap.
A bonded wing, less of the neighboring teeth removed.
Anchored on one side only.
Held by implants, not natural teeth.
The simplest way to choose depends on whether the tooth is still there: a crown rebuilds a damaged tooth you still have, and a bridge fills the gap where a tooth is missing. A bridge is one way to replace a missing tooth, and a dental implant is another; which suits you depends on the health of the neighboring teeth and the bone underneath.
| Compare | Dental crown | Dental bridge |
|---|---|---|
| Fixes | A damaged tooth still in place | A gap where a tooth is missing |
| How it works | Caps one tooth | Joined crowns anchored on each side |
| Teeth involved | One tooth | The gap plus the two neighbors |
| Alternative | A filling, if enough tooth remains | A dental implant |
Crowns and bridges are made from tooth-colored ceramics, zirconia, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or gold, and the right one balances how natural it looks, how strong it is, and cost, and depends on which tooth it is for. A front tooth is usually about appearance; a back molar is usually about strength.
| Material | Looks like | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tooth-colored ceramic | Very natural | Front teeth | Great appearance |
| Zirconia | Natural, tough | Molars and bridges | Very strong |
| Porcelain-fused-to-metal | Natural with a metal base | Either | A long-used balance |
| Gold | Gold, visible | Back molars | Extremely durable |
These are the common material choices. Your dentist recommends the one that fits the tooth, the bite, and your budget, so you are not choosing blind.
Getting a crown or bridge usually takes two gentle visits, one to prepare and scan the tooth and one to fit the finished restoration, and in some cases a crown can be made in a single visit.
The tooth is fully numbed, then shaped so the crown or bridge can seat over it.
A digital scan is sent to the lab, and a temporary crown protects the tooth for about two weeks.
At the second visit the finished restoration is checked, adjusted, and cemented in place.
The prepared tooth is scanned in the office.
The crown is designed and milled on-site, often in about a couple of hours.
The crown is fitted and cemented in the same visit.
Same-day, in-office milling is not suited to every tooth, and whether it is offered at our offices should be confirmed when you call.
Getting a crown or bridge is done with the tooth fully numbed, and with calming options if you want them, so a visit you have been dreading can be comfortable and unhurried. A local anesthetic numbs the tooth first, so the preparation itself is not painful.
Laughing gas helps you relax and wears off quickly, so most people drive themselves home.
A pill taken before the appointment that leaves you calm and drowsy while still awake.
Many patients here come after years away from a dentist, and no one is judged for that. Patients often describe feeling relaxed and at ease, and some say the visit turned out far easier than they expected.
The honest answer is that the price depends on the material, the tooth, and whether extra steps are needed. Nationally a single crown commonly runs about $1,000 to $2,500 while a traditional bridge runs about $2,000 to $5,000, and we confirm your exact price in writing at your consultation.
National typical, not a Dentique quote.
National typical, not a Dentique quote.
National typical, not a Dentique quote.
National typical, not a Dentique quote.
Extra steps can change the price. If there is not enough tooth left to hold a crown, a core buildup may be needed first, and a bridge adds cost for each unit and for any tooth that has to be removed.
Most dental plans treat crowns and bridges as major restorative work, so they often cover a share after your deductible, up to your annual maximum, and we help you use your benefits. Coverage varies by plan, and some plans apply a waiting period before major work is covered.
Dentique works with most major PPO plans, including Delta Dental, MetLife, Cigna, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare, Guardian, and Humana. If the cost left after insurance is still a stretch, financing can spread it over time.
A well-made crown or bridge typically lasts many years with normal brushing, flossing, and check-ups, and how long depends on the material and how you care for it. Most last about 5 to 15 years, with zirconia often reaching 10 to 20 years and gold 15 years or more.
Clean under a bridge with a floss threader.
So small problems are caught early.
It protects the restoration from wear.
Dr. Xhelo Shuaipaj has restored teeth for more than 30 years across the Downers Grove and Lemont offices, with a calm, no-pressure, judgment-free approach that many patients have stayed with for 15, 20, and 25 years. One dentist sees you each time, so your care stays consistent. His credentials are DDS, plus FDOCS (sedation) and FICOI (implants).
Consistent care at both offices.
Including people who had put it off.
Across both offices.
If you want more detail, we have plain-language guides on the specific questions, so pick the one that matches where you are.
How the main crown materials compare and what each tends to cost.
Read the guide
What in-office milling is and when a crown can be finished in a day.
Read the guide
The trade-offs between filling a gap with a bridge or an implant.
Read the guide
How three common ways to fix a front tooth differ in coverage and cost.
Read the guide
A plain look at local pricing in Lemont and Downers Grove, and what changes it.
Read the guide
A dental cap and a dental crown are the same thing, two words for the tooth-shaped cover that fits over a damaged tooth. Different dentists and patients simply use one word or the other.
A single dental crown commonly costs about $1,000 to $2,500 per tooth nationally, and your exact price at Dentique is confirmed in writing at your consultation. The final figure depends on the material and whether the tooth needs any extra work first.
A well-made same-day ceramic crown can match a lab-made one, and whether it suits your tooth depends on the tooth itself. Ask us whether same-day treatment is available for your case.
Keep the temporary crown, avoid chewing on that side, and call the office to be seen. A lost temporary is common and is usually quick to re-place.
A crown or bridge commonly lasts about 5 to 15 years, and longer for zirconia (about 10 to 20 years) or gold (15 years or more). How long yours lasts depends on the material and how you care for it.
The first visit, to numb, shape, and scan the tooth, is a single appointment, and you leave with a temporary crown while the final one is made. The second visit, to fit and cement it, is shorter.
Most dental plans treat crowns and bridges as major services and often cover a share after your deductible, up to your annual maximum. Coverage varies by plan, so it is worth checking your specific benefits.
The tooth is fully numbed for the procedure, and calming options including nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation are available. Most people find it comfortable, even if they came in nervous.
Dr. Xhelo Shuaipaj, DDS, FDOCS, FICOI, has practiced dentistry for more than 30 years at Dentique’s Downers Grove and Lemont offices, and reviews the clinical information on this page. FDOCS marks his Fellowship with DOCS Education in sedation, and FICOI marks his Fellowship with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists in implants. He treats crowns, bridges, and the patients who have put off both, with the same calm, judgment-free care.
You do not need to have it all figured out: a consultation is a calm conversation about your options and your exact price in writing, booked at the Downers Grove or Lemont office whenever you are ready. A real person greets you on your first call.
Downers Grove (630) 454-9299
Lemont (630) 685-0017
Judgment-free care, sedation options available, and your price confirmed in writing.
Get the smile you deserve today!