What are Dental Crowns and Tooth Bridges?
Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable appliances such as dentures, which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants. A dentist can only remove them.
If you require dental crown or bridge treatments, don’t hesitate to contact Oberoi Dental Clinic for a dentist consultation. Our caring and gentle dentists will listen to your concerns, wishes and answer any questions. Our dental team will examine your teeth and jaw bone, which may include taking x-rays to help plan a customized approach for your dental treatment by revealing any decay or dental caries underneath any leaking old fillings or restorations or fractures or split in your tooth to determine the necessity of a dental crown/bridge. This will help to determine the complexity of your case.
How do Crowns Work?
A crown is used to cover or “cap” a damaged tooth entirely. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape, or alignment. A crown can also be placed on an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic, and ceramic. These alloys are generally stronger than porcelain and may be recommended for back teeth. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive.
Your dentist may recommend a crown to:
- Replace a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
- Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
- Restore a fractured tooth
- Attach a bridge
- Cover a dental implant
- Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
- Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment
How do Bridges Work?
A bridge may be recommended if you’re missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the area. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use based on the location of the missing tooth, its function, aesthetic considerations, and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.
How are Crowns and Bridges Made?
Before either a crown or a bridge can be made, the tooth must be reduced in size so that the crown or bridge will fit over it properly. After reducing the tooth/teeth, your dentist will take an impression to provide an exact mold for the crown or bridge. If porcelain is to be used, your dentist will determine the correct shade for the crown or bridge to match the color of your existing teeth.
Using this impression, a dental lab makes your crown or bridge in the material your dentist specifies. A temporary crown or bridge will be placed to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent crown or bridge is being made. When the permanent crown or bridge is ready, the temporary crown or bridge is removed, and the new crown or bridge is cemented over your prepared tooth or teeth.
How Long do Crowns and Bridges Last?
While crowns and bridges can last a lifetime, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown or bridge is to practice good oral hygiene. A bridge can lose its support if the teeth or bone holding it in place are damaged by dental disease. Keep your gums and teeth healthy by Brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing daily. Also, see your dentist and hygienist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings. To prevent damage to your new crown or bridge, avoid chewing hard foods, ice, or other complex objects.
Crowns and bridges should last for many years. However, there is no lifetime guarantee. Natural teeth depend on good dental hygiene, oral health, and the forces you apply to your teeth. Therefore, regular dental check-ups are advisable. Crowns and bridges require regular flossing and brushing, with extra attention around the margins where decay is more likely. Special devices including floss threaders and “super floss” are available for cleaning under the bridge. Your dentist or prosthodontist will show you how to clean your crown and bridges properly.