subject: Crowns And Bridges Replace And Restore Your Teeth [print this page] In the past, a broken, cracked or missing tooth would be a major cause of concern. At one point, dentures were the only effective method of restoring your smile. Thanks to tremendous advances in dentistry over the years, there are now a variety of dental techniques that can be used to restore your smile. Dental crowns and bridges are among the most popular restorative techniques that are used. With these techniques, your dentist will be able to fully restore your smile by using restorations that will look and feel like your natural teeth.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a synthetic tooth-shaped cap that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape, strength or appearance. A crown can be used to restore a broken tooth, protect a weak one, hold a dental bridge in place or cover severely discolored teeth. When the crown is cemented onto the tooth, it fully encases the visible portion of the tooth above the gum line. Generally crowns are made of porcelain or ceramic on the front teeth to mimic real teeth and can be made of different metals for other teeth.
Once you and your dentist have decided that you need to get a crown put in, he or she will begin the process by anesthetizing the tooth and your gum around the area. Your dentist will then file down your tooth to make room for the crown. He or she will then take an impression of the area. The impression will be sent to a dental lab where your permanent crown will be created. While you wait the two to three weeks for your permanent crown to arrive, you will wear a temporary crown that your dentist will fashion for you. When the crown arrives, your dentist will check the fit and coloring of your new permanent crown. If everything is acceptable, he or she will then cement the crown in place and you will be free to walk out of the office and start enjoying your new smile.
Dental Bridges
Where crowns are designed to help restore broken and discolored teeth, dental bridges are used to replace missing teeth. A dental bridge is made up of two crowns on either side that anchor a replacement tooth in between. The process for getting a dental bridge is very similar to being fitted for a crown. The first appointment will have your dentist file down the teeth that will receive crowns and take impressions of the area where the bridge will go. While you wait for your permanent bridge to come in, your dentist will fit you with a temporary one. Once the permanent one has arrived, your dentist will check it for fit and coloring. After confirming that it everything is acceptable with the bridge, your dentist will permanently cement it into place.
To learn more about dental crowns and bridges or to set an appointment, contact your Bowie dentist today.
