CROWN & BRIDGE

What is a Dental Crown?

A Dental Crown is a dental restoration that encircles or caps a tooth or a dental implant to protect it from further damage. Crowns are often placed in order to prevent large cavities from getting bigger and to protect the health of the tooth. Crowns can be made from porcelain, gold, or a combination of the two. When teeth are heavily decayed, have had a root canal, or are worn down and breaking down as a result, crowns are indicated. These very natural restorations can be used to cover the affected portions of the tooth. Not only do they improve the appearance of the tooth, but crowns are also very effective at improving the strength and stability of a tooth. 

How is a Dental Crown Placed?

Fabricating a dental crown is a relatively simple procedure. Once a tooth has been cleaned and shaped for a crown, the dentist will make an impression of the tooth, which will be used as a pattern for creating the dental crown.

A temporary crown is often placed on the affected tooth while the permanent crown is being produced, to protect it from damage. Creating a dental crown takes somewhere between one and two weeks, after which the permanent crown can be cemented onto the tooth.

Cosmetic dental crowns may last for 10 to 15 years.

What is a Cosmetic Crown?

Cosmetic crowns are typically made from gold, ceramic, and metal, each with varying strength and use. For example, gold and metal-ceramic crowns, which are very durable are often used to fix molars, which undergo and subjected to great forces from grinding and chewing.

Ceramic crowns, on the other hand, are used for the front teeth because they best resemble natural teeth. 

What is a Dental Bridge? 

Ever wish you could replace a missing tooth without having to wear dentures? With bridges, you can do just that while preserving a more natural-looking smile.

This type of dental restoration bridges the gap created by one or more missing teeth. Typically, a bridge is made up of two crowns that are fitted on the teeth on either side of the missing tooth.

The exisiting teeth serve as an anchor for the false tooth that replace the missing tooth. The anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth and the false teeth in between are called pontics, which are made from different materials like porcelain, alloys, gold or a combination of other materials. Natural teeth or implants support dental bridges, which is why this type of restoration is more appropriate for patients with only a few missing teeth to replace. 

Dental bridges are not only for cosmetic reasons. They restore your ability to speak properly and to chew food more thoroughly as well as maintain the shape of the face. Additionally, they help distribute the forces of biting evenly, preventing stress and damage to the remaining teeth. Dental bridges also prevent your remaining teeth from drifting out of position over time.

What are the different types of Dental Bridges?

There are three main types of dental bridges, each with its own purpose. Traditional bridges have crowns on the teeth of either side of the missing tooth and a pontic or false tooth attached to the crowns to fill the gap where the missing tooth is. These bridges are commonly made from porcelain fused either with ceramics or metal. Cantilever bridges on the other hand are used when there are only teeth available on one side of the missing tooth. 

Maryland bonded bridges, meanwhile, are supported by a framework with wings on either side. These wings are then bonded to the existing teeth.

Dental bridges can last between 5 and 15 years or even longer, provided that you follow good oral hygiene and have regular prophylaxis. Contrary to what people may believe, dental bridges make eating easier, as replacing the missing teeth distributes the force of your bite evenly between the newly replaced teeth.

To maximize the life of your dental bridge, it is important to maintain appropriate oral hygiene so that your remaining teeth don’t weaken or decay. Visiting your dentist regularly also helps diagnose problems early, preventing them from getting worse over time.

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