If you have missing teeth, dental crowns and bridges may be the solution for you. With proper care, they can last a long time, and offer you a wide range of benefits, so it is worth considering a crown and bridge treatment to restore your missing teeth.
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is covering for a damaged or broken tooth. For cracked, broken, or severely decayed teeth, dental crowns can add strength and support to them. In addition to being used to support an existing tooth, dental crowns are also used as the artificial tooth portion of dental implants to replace missing teeth.
There are a variety of crowns available, including gold, zirconium, and acrylic; Porcelain crowns, or porcelain fused to metal crowns, which are stronger, as well as composite resin and ceramic crowns are popular and look just like natural teeth.
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Crowns are cemented to teeth on both sides of a missing tooth with a false tooth placed in the middle. The bridge’s crowns can be affixed to existing teeth or dental implants. The false teeth in the bridge can be made of any of the materials that dental crowns are.
There are different types of dental bridges. Traditional fixed bridges are ones where the bridge is attached to the surrounding teeth. A dental implant-supported bridge treatment is one where the bridge is affixed to one or more dental implants.
Procedure
For a bridge treatment, your tooth or teeth will be fitted for a crown, and a custom bridge with the dental crowns will be made for you. If you are having dental implants to support the bridge, you will need to be fully recovered from this surgery before the bridge can be affixed.
Fitting the Dental Crowns
Your dentist will start by preparing the teeth adjacent to your gap for the crowns. A very thin layer of your tooth enamel will be shaved off to make room for the dental crown and allow it to be bonded properly.
Molds
Next, your dentist will take a mold of your teeth. This will be used to create a custom dental crown, or crowns, and the bridge for you. A temporary bridge will be placed while the bridge is being fabricated at a dental lab for you.
Permanent Crowns and Bridges
Once the permanent crown, or crowns, and bridge are ready, on a second appointment, your dentist will remove each temporary crown. The permanent crown or crowns will be bonded to your teeth with dental cement. Your dentist will ensure a proper fit, and make any necessary adjustments.
Dental Bridge
The bridge, if you are receiving one in addition to your dental crown, is secured onto the dental crowns.
Proper Care
Maintaining proper care and good hygiene for crowns and bridges is fairly simple. You can just care for them the same way you do for your natural teeth, with daily brushing and flossing, and regular checkups and professional cleanings.
Since you will not be able to remove the dental bridge, this is considered a permanent restoration. With good care, crowns and bridges can last for up to 15 years or so.
Benefits of Dental Crowns and Bridges
Dental crowns and bridges offer significant benefits.
Benefits of Crowns
Protecting and Strengthening Teeth
A dental crown will strengthen and protect a decayed or damaged tooth, so that it is not vulnerable to further damage. It can prevent a crack from worsening, and potentially breaking further or damaging the tooth nerve. This helps reduce the risk of eventually losing the tooth. In the case of bridges, it strengthens an otherwise healthy tooth to deal with the added stresses of supporting a dental bridge.
Minimize Tooth Sensitivity and Pain
By protecting natural teeth, dental crowns reduce tooth sensitivity and discomfort, especially when consuming hot foods or drinks.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
A dental bridge treatment is more secure than dentures, as a fixed, permanent restoration, which makes eating and speaking easier than with dentures that can shift, and much easier than with a gap.
Benefits of Both Dental Crowns and Bridges
Replacing Missing Teeth
When a dental crown is used with a dental implant, it is an effective solution for a missing tooth. Bridges are also good for replacing a missing tooth or teeth. Tooth replacement options are important for your oral health, by maintaining the spacing of your teeth, preventing teeth from shifting, which can eventually lead to further tooth loss and bone loss.
At Orchard Park Dental, we offer dental crowns and bridges services to restore your teeth.
