A damaged tooth changes the way the whole mouth works. Chewing shifts to one side, food catches, and over time the bite begins to tilt.
A crown or bridge can bring that balance back.
At Gamma Dental Clinic, Dr Olga Gelfand and Dr Zoren Ratner restore worn or missing teeth every week, using materials that feel and look like enamel—not something artificial sitting on top of it.
“People usually come in worried that a crown will look bulky,” says Dr Gelfand. “It shouldn’t. It should vanish into the smile.”
A dental crown covers a tooth that has cracked, worn down, or had a large filling fail.
It fits over the prepared tooth like a shell, protecting what remains and rebuilding its shape.
Most are porcelain or zirconia—strong, translucent, and built to match surrounding teeth.
When Dr Ratner fits a crown, he looks first at the bite, not the colour.
“If the pressure points aren’t right, it doesn’t matter how good it looks,” he says. “It has to feel natural before it can look natural.”
Crowns are often the finishing step after a root canal or fracture, or when decay has removed too much structure for another filling.
A dental bridge fills the space left by missing teeth.
It’s a row of connected crowns—anchored to healthy teeth on either side—with an artificial tooth suspended in between.
The bridge is fixed in place; you don’t take it out or soak it.
Without that support, nearby teeth start to drift toward the empty space. The bite shifts. Food lodges where it never did before.
Replacing the gap keeps everything stable and brings back the ability to chew evenly again.
● A tooth cracked below the surface but still salvageable
● A tooth weakened after endodontic treatment
● A visible chip that distorts the smile line
● A space left by one or more missing teeth
● Excessive wear from grinding or acid erosion
For one patient it’s about function, for another about confidence. Usually it’s both.
The process begins with photographs and a 3-D scan.
The doctors study the bite from every direction before touching the tooth.
On the first visit, the damaged enamel is shaped to make space for the crown or bridge. A temporary piece is fitted the same day, allowing normal speech and chewing.
The permanent restoration is made at a partner lab.
Each curve, ridge, and shade is matched to the patient’s own teeth under neutral light.
When the final piece arrives, Dr Gelfand checks the margins under magnification before cementing it.
From start to finish, the procedure usually takes two appointments.
Porcelain has a softness that mimics natural enamel. It reflects light the same way.
Zirconia, denser and whiter, is often used for molars or patients who clench.
Some crowns combine both: zirconia inside for strength, porcelain layered on top for beauty.
The doctors decide after examining how the upper and lower teeth meet.
No matter the material, the goal stays the same—to restore integrity without drawing attention.
Patients often notice the difference immediately.
Chewing evens out, speech clears, and the mirror shows a tooth line that finally looks continuous again.
There’s satisfaction in small movements—biting an apple without hesitation, smiling without checking reflection first.
Dr Gelfand keeps a quiet gallery of photos: broken molar before, seamless curve after. “That’s the part people never see,” she says, “the amount of planning that goes into something they’ll never notice.”
Crowns and bridges are built to last. Ten to fifteen years is typical; with careful maintenance, many last much longer.
Brushing twice a day and flossing with threaders around the bridge prevent decay along the edges.
The porcelain itself won’t decay, but the tooth beneath still can.
Routine cleanings help too. Hygienists polish the margins gently, keeping the gum line healthy so the restoration stays stable.
“Think of it as part of the mouth again,” Dr Ratner tells patients. “Treat it the same way you treat everything else.”
The cost of a dental crown in Sheepshead Bay usually ranges from $1,200–$1,800, depending on material and complexity.
A dental bridge—typically three connected crowns—runs between $3,000 and $5,000.
Those figures include planning, temporary work, and follow-up.
The clinic offers transparent estimates before treatment and assists with financing through CareCredit. There are no hidden fees mid-way.
Continuity of care. The same two clinicians prepare, design, and seat every restoration. There are no outside referrals or rotating specialists.
Experience. Dr Olga Gelfand has more than twenty-five years in restorative dentistry; Dr Zoren Ratner completed surgical and implant training at Maimonides Medical Center after NYU. Their combined skills cover both structure and aesthetics.
Technology with purpose. Digital imaging, guided milling, and collaboration with a Brooklyn-based dental lab ensure accuracy without losing artistry.
Personal detail. Every shade, every contour, reviewed by the treating doctor—not delegated, not rushed.
Between $1,200 and $1,800, depending on tooth location and material.
Typically 10–15 years; longer with consistent hygiene.
No. Local anaesthetic numbs the area completely. Most patients describe light pressure, not pain.
Brush and floss daily, especially along the gum line, and schedule regular cleanings.
Yes, at the junction where tooth and crown meet if plaque accumulates.
Usually two appointments, one for preparation and one for placement.
Yes. Porcelain and zirconia crowns are shade-matched to blend seamlessly.
Yes, after the anaesthetic wears off. Avoid very sticky foods for the first day.
With good care, ten years or more.
No. Local anaesthetic ensures comfort throughout the process.
They are fixed restorations intended for long-term, not temporary, use.
A crown or bridge isn’t just a repair; it’s a way of giving a tooth—and the person—a second life in the mouth.
When done well, it stops being noticeable at all.
The smile evens out, the bite feels natural, and the small daily acts—biting, laughing, talking—return without thought.
That’s the part of dentistry Dr Gelfand and Dr Ratner value most: the moment when the work becomes invisible and life feels normal again.
Gamma Dental Clinic
1021 Avenue Z, Brooklyn, NY 11235
📞 (718) 769-4900
Reviewed for clinical accuracy by Dr Olga Gelfand and Dr Zoren Ratner. Information provided for patient education; individual outcomes may vary.