Dental bridges and crowns are restorative options for replacing and restoring missing or damaged teeth. These restorations help to protect the rest of the teeth by keeping them from migrating into the space of missing teeth. Ultimately, the goal of any dental restoration is to bring back your natural smile and prevent future oral health issues, such as loosened or misshapen teeth.
A bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth. Just like a bridge over a river starts and ends on land, a bridge in your mouth must attach to the surrounding teeth for support. Your bridge can be made from gold, alloy or porcelain.
Crowns cover your teeth like little hats. But instead of keeping your teeth nice and toasty, crowns help rebuild damaged teeth back up to their original shapes, sizes, strength, and improve their appearance. When cemented into place, crowns encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.
You’ll most likely need a crown if a tooth breaks down and a filling won’t be enough to fix it. If your tooth cracks, a crown will seal the crevices and hold the tooth together so the damage doesn’t worsen. If you have a tooth that’s not strong enough to support a large filling, a crown can correct that too.
Crowns are also a great solution for attaching bridges and restoring fractured teeth. If you have a tooth that’s bothering you because it looks offbeat, a crown can reshape it. And if your teeth are purple, green or some other shade besides tooth-colored, crowns will hide the discoloration.
Dental bridges provide many benefits to patients including:
Dental crowns offer the following benefits to patients:
A dental crown may be recommended for children under the following circumstances:
During your consultation, your doctor will
Following your exam, your dentist will assess whether or not the teeth that would hold the bridge would need some work prior to the bridge being made. For example, some patients may need a root canal on one of the teeth before the bridge is started. Once any foundation work has been completed, your dentist will schedule you for an appointment for bridgework.
The process for getting a dental bridge involves the following steps:
During your consultation for a dental crown, your doctor will
Your dentist may take a few X-rays to check the root of the tooth and surrounding bone. If the tooth has extensive decay or if there is a risk of infection or injury to the tooth’s pulp, your dentist may recommend that you have a root canal done before you have a dental crown placed.
If you are interested in CEREC same-day crowns, check out the process here.
Bridges and crowns can last a lifetime, as long as you practice good oral hygiene:
If you take proper care of your dental bridges and crowns, they can last up to 15 years and sometimes even longer.
If you are interested in dental bridges or same-day crowns, call Belmont Family Dentistry at (503) 234-1218 to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors.