What are Dental Crowns and bridges?

                                                                   

Dental crowns and bridges are common restorative dental procedures used to repair damaged teeth or replace missing ones. Here’s a detailed look at each:

Dental Crowns

Definition: A dental crown is a cap placed over a damaged, decayed, or cracked tooth. It restores the tooth's shape, size, strength, and appearance.

Purpose:

  • To protect a weak tooth from breaking.
  • To hold together parts of a cracked tooth.
  • To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down.
  • To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left.
  • To hold a dental bridge in place.
  • To cover misshapen or severely discolored teeth.
  • To cover a dental implant.
  • For cosmetic modification.

Materials:

  • Metal: Such as gold or a metal alloy. These are durable and withstand biting and chewing forces well.
  • Porcelain-fused-to-metal: These can be color-matched to your adjacent teeth but have more wear and tear over time.
  • All-ceramic or all-porcelain: These provide the best natural color match and are suitable for people with metal allergies.
  • Resin: These are less expensive but wear down over time and are more prone to fractures.

Dental Bridges

Definition: A dental bridge is a fixed dental restoration used to replace one or more missing teeth by joining an artificial tooth permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants.

Purpose:

  • To restore your smile.
  • To restore the ability to properly chew and speak.
  • To maintain the shape of your face.
  • To distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth.
  • To prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position.

Types:

  • Traditional Bridges: These involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic (false tooth) in between.
  • Cantilever Bridges: These are used when there are adjacent teeth on only one side of the missing tooth or teeth.
  • Maryland Bonded Bridges: These have porcelain or metal wings on each side of the bridge bonded to the existing teeth.
  • Implant-Supported Bridges: These are used when you have more than one tooth missing. Instead of being supported by crowns or frameworks, these bridges are supported by dental implants.

Materials:

  • Same as crowns: metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, all-ceramic, or all-resin, depending on the specific requirements and location in the mouth.

Procedure:

For Crowns:

  1. Preparation: The dentist removes part of the tooth’s structure to make room for the crown.
  2. Impression: An impression of the tooth is taken to create a custom crown.
  3. Temporary Crown: A temporary crown is placed until the permanent crown is ready.
  4. Fitting: The permanent crown is cemented onto the prepared tooth.

For Bridges:

  1. Preparation: Teeth adjacent to the gap are prepared by removing a portion of enamel.
  2. Impression: An impression is made to create the bridge.
  3. Temporary Bridge: A temporary bridge may be placed.
  4. Fitting: The final bridge is placed and adjusted for fit and comfort, then permanently cemented.

Both crowns and bridges require good oral hygiene practices to ensure their longevity. Regular dental check-ups and professional cleanings are also essential to maintain the health of these restorations and the surrounding teeth and gums.

 

At Crest Family Dental, we understand the importance of a confident smile and a healthy mouth. That’s why we offer comprehensive restorative dentistry services, including dental crowns and bridges, to address various dental concerns. Whether you need to restore a damaged tooth, improve your smile’s appearance, or protect weak teeth, our expert team is here to provide the care you need.

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