Crowns and Bridges

Bridges

Bridges are perfect for anyone that happens to be missing a section of teeth. Bridges are made custom for each individual and because of this they are barely noticeable. Because bridges are made to match the exact color of one’s teeth that are hard to notice and they can also help with one’s teeth contour and adjust so as the upper and lower teeth have the proper bite.

Sometimes bridges are called fixed partial dentures. This is because they are made to be permanent and are themselves bonded to existing implants or teeth. There are two different types of brides, in that, some can be removed and cleaned by the patient, whereas others need to be removed by a dentist.

Bridges can be made from a combination of a variety of materials; such as gold alloys, porcelains, or a combination of different materials. Implant bridges are an appliance that is added to one’s gums or the bone.

Crowns

Crowns are more common than bridges as they are a synthetic cap that is made of porcelain (or other materials) and placed over a tooth.

Crowns are often used to restore the appearance or function of a tooth, such as after a root canal. Crowns can also be used to restore a tooth that has had decay necessitating the removal of the tooth.

There are several other uses of tooth crowns. A crown can be used to cover an implant or to prevent a tooth that is cracked from getting worse, and even to attach bridges. Crowns can also be used to cover a stained tooth in order to give it a natural appearance. If a patient has a filling that is loose or may become dislocated a crown can stop this from happening.

Procedures

When a crown is placed over the top of a tooth the tooth is usually reduced in size to make room for the crown. The tooth has an impression made of it in order to make the crown. These impressions are then sent off to labs that make custom crown designs. A temporary crown can be placed over a tooth until the final product is finished. When the final crown is put in place it is actually cemented over the tooth. Sometimes a crown may be confused with a veneer. A veneers is actually only placed over a small area when compared to a crown.

Caring For a Tooth Crown

Crowns are meant to last a minimum of 8 years if properly cared for. It is vital that you floss to keep the area clean. This way you don’t have a collection of debris or plaque around your restored area.
Grinding one’s teeth (known as bruxism) can shorten a crown’s life. Keep in mind that even hard candy and brittle foods can cause