subject: Dental Bridges Or Crowns Can Restore Your Smile [print this page] If you find yourself with a broken, chipped or missing tooth, you don't need to worry. Thanks to modern dental techniques, your dentist will be able to repair your teeth. Some of the most common procedures that are used are dental crowns and dental bridges. In just two appointments, your dentist can take impressions, create and install your dental crown or bridge to repair your smile. If you break or lose a tooth, be sure to talk to your dentist about dental crowns or bridges.
Dental Crowns
A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over a tooth to restore its size, shape, strength and/or appearance. Once the crown is installed, it will cover the entire visible portion of the tooth above the gum line. To install a crown, your dentist will begin by anesthetizing the area around the affected tooth. He or she will then file down the tooth to make enough room for a crown to fit in your mouth. Next, an impression will be taken of the tooth. This will be sent to a dental lab, where it will generally take between two and three weeks for your permanent crown to be created. While this is occurring, your dentist will fashion a temporary crown for you to wear in between appointments.
Once your permanent crown arrives from the dental lab, your dentist will do a final check to make sure the crown's coloring and fit are correct. If they are, he or she will then permanently cement the crown into place. Once it is installed, a crown does not require any additional cleaning techniques beyond the normal brushing and flossing that you do on a daily basis. With the proper care, a dental crown can last as long as 15 years.
Dental Bridges
Unlike crowns, a dental bridge is designed to replace a lost tooth. A dental bridge is a replacement tooth that is anchored on both sides by crowns. To install a bridge, your dentist will anesthetize the area and file down the two teeth that will receive crowns. He or she will then take an impression of the area and send it off to the dental lab. Similarly to getting a crown put in, he or she will fit you with a temporary bridge to wear in the two to three weeks in between appointments.
Once the permanent bridge arrives from the lab, your dentist will do final check for coloring and fit. After making any necessary adjustments, he or she will permanently cement the bridge to your mouth. When this is done, your teeth will have a natural appearance and no one will be able to tell that your teeth are anything but fully natural.
To learn more about dental crowns and bridges or to schedule an appointment, contact your Jackson dentist today.
