Dental crowns and bridges are one of the great options if you miss one or more teeth. Prosthetic devices are used in dental bridges and crowns to restore your smile. A crown is applicable when a tooth is broken or fractured, whereas a bridge is utilized when one or more teeth are missing.
What are dental crowns, and how do they work?
A crown is a dental restoration that completely covers or “caps” a broken tooth. A crown can be used to improve the appearance, shape, or alignment of a damaged tooth and reinforce it. On top of an implant, your dentist will put a crown to show a tooth-like shape and structure for a better dental function. Crowns are porcelain or ceramic and can be colour-matched to the natural teeth. Gold and metal alloys, acrylic, and ceramic are other materials used. These alloys are often more durable than porcelain and may be relevant to the rear teeth. Dentists often employ materials like porcelain because they are sturdy and appealing.
Your Edmonton dentist may recommend a crown if you have one of the following problems:
- When there isn’t enough tooth left, replace a huge filling.
- Avoid shattering a fragile tooth by wearing a mouthguard.
- Restore a tooth that has been shattered.
- Build a bridge to connect with missing multiple teeth.
- Covering a dental implant
- Covering a tooth with an evident stain or in bad form.
What are dental bridges, and how do they work?
If one or more teeth are missing, your dentist may suggest a dental bridge. Missing teeth leave gaps in the mouth, causing the remaining teeth to rotate or move into the empty spaces, resulting in bite problems. The imbalance of missing teeth can cause gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues. Bridges are a type of tooth replacement that can be used to replace one or more missing teeth. They fill in the gaps left by missing teeth. Bridges are attached to the natural teeth or implants that surround the gap in the mouth: the abutments, or teeth, function as the bridge’s anchors. A pontic, or substitute tooth, is affixed to the crowns covering the abutments. Bridges, like crowns, come in a variety of materials. Based on the position of the lost tooth (or teeth), their function, aesthetic considerations, and cost, your dentist in Edmonton can help you select which to use. Bridges made of porcelain or ceramic can be colour-matched to your natural teeth.
What is the process of making crowns and bridges?
Before a crown or bridge can be created, the tooth (or teeth) must be reduced in size for the crown or bridge to fit correctly over it. Your dentist will interpret the tooth/teeth after they have been reduced to give an exact mould for the crown or bridge. If porcelain is used, your dentist will choose the right shade of crown or bridge to match the colour of your natural teeth. A dental lab uses this imprint to create your crown or bridge in the material your dentist specifies. While the permanent crown or bridge is being manufactured, a temporary crown or bridge will be placed to cover the prepared tooth. The temporary crown or bridge is removed once the permanent crown or bridge is ready, and the new crown or bridge is attached over the prepared tooth or teeth.
How long do the dental bridges and dental crowns last?
Crowns and bridges can last a lifetime, but they can come loose or fall out at any time. The most important thing you can do to extend the life of your crown or bridge is to keep your mouth clean. If the teeth or bone that keep the bridge in place are destroyed by dental disease, the bridge may lose its support. Brush twice a day with toothpaste and floss once a day to keep your gums and teeth healthy. Visit your dentist and hygienist for checkups and expert cleanings regularly. Avoid chewing hard foods, ice, or other hard items to protect your new crown or bridge.
Here at Smile Zone Dental Clinic, our passionate and dedicated dentists accommodate and thoroughly examine you to find the best treatment for you. Call us at 780-989-5733 to book an appointment! We would be happy to accommodate you!
