subject: Crowns And Bridges Restore Your Smile To Perfection [print this page] In the past, a knocked out tooth meant that you were forced to get fitted for dentures to repair your smile. Thanks to advances in dental technology over the years, you now have a variety of restorative options to repair your smile. A few of the most common restorative techniques performed by dentists are the implementation of dental crowns and bridges in your mouth.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a tooth shaped cap that is placed over your tooth to restore its appearance, shape and strength. A crown can be used to protect a weak tooth from breaking, hold a dental bridge, cover discolored teeth or to restore a broken tooth. After discussing your options with your dentist and deciding that a crown is the best option for you, your dentist will begin the process by anesthetizing the area and filing down your tooth to make room for the crown to fit in your mouth. After reshaping the tooth, he or she will use impression paste to take a detailed impression of your tooth. Next your dentist will send the impression to a dental lab where a permanent crown will be fashioned. To wear during the two to three weeks that you are waiting for the permanent crown, your dentist will fashion a temporary crown for you during your first appointment.
When the permanent crown is returned from the dental lab, your dentist will do a final check to make sure that your crown is the right color and fits correctly in your mouth. After confirming this, he or she will cement it in place and you will be free to walk out of the dentists' office with your new smile.
Dental Bridges
If you need to be treated for a missing tooth instead of a chipped or cracked one, your dentist may prescribe a dental bridge as the best course of treatment. A bridge is made up of two crowns that hold in place an artificial tooth that replaces a missing tooth. During the first appointment with your dentist, he or she will prepare the two teeth that will hold the bridge in place (abutment teeth). He or she will then take impressions of these teeth and the area where the new tooth will go. Like a crown procedure, it will take about two to three weeks for your permanent bridge to come back from the lab. In the meantime, your dentist will provide a temporary bridge to wear. Once your permanent crown comes in from the lab, your dentist will check to make sure that it fits completely and then will cement it into place. With the right care, your dental bridge can last up to 15 years, and in some cases even longer.
To learn more about dental crowns and bridges or to schedule an appointment, contact your Bonita Springs dentist today.
