subject: Get Your Smile Back With Dental Crowns Or Bridges [print this page] If your tooth is chipped, broken or knocked out, you do not need to panic. Thanks to tremendous increases in dental technology, your dentist will be able to reconstruct your smile with dental crowns and bridges. Each procedure only takes two simple appointments and once they are completed, no one will be able to tell that your smile is anything but fully natural.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed on top of your tooth in order to improve its size, strength, function and/or appearance. A crown can be used to protect a weak tooth, restore a broken tooth, support a dental bridge or cover a misshapen or discolored tooth. Once you and your dentist have decided that a crown is the best option for you, he or she will begin the process by anesthetizing your tooth and the surrounding area and filing down the tooth in order for there to be enough room for your crown to fit. After this, he or she will take a detailed impression of the area in order to create your permanent crown. The impression is then sent to a dental lab, where it will generally take between two and three weeks for the crown to return. In between appointments, your dentist will fit you with a temporary crown to wear.
Once your permanent crown arrives, your dentist will do a final check to make sure the fit and coloring are correct. If they are, he or she will then use dental cement to securely attach it to your tooth. When this is complete, you will be free to leave the office and start fully enjoying your rehabilitated smile.
Dental Bridges
While a dental crown can help restore a chipped or broken tooth, your dentist will use a dental bridge to replace a missing tooth or teeth. A dental bridge consists of a replacement tooth or teeth that are anchored on both sides by dental crowns. To put a bridge in, your dentist will begin by anesthetizing the area and then filing down the two teeth that will receive crowns. After this, he or she will take an impression of the area and send it off to the dental lab. In between appointments, your dentist will fashion a temporary bridge for you to fill the gap in your teeth. Once your permanent bridge arrives, he or she will make sure that it fits correctly in your mouth and then cement it firmly in place. Once a dental bridge is installed in your mouth, it is not unusual for them to last as long as fifteen years or more.
To learn more about crowns and bridges or to schedule an appointment, contact your Virginia Beach dentist today.
